Dealing With Past, Facing Future
by Carlysxfiles
Summary: Full summary inside: An old lie, A new truth. Mulder and Scully have to deal with  old faces from the past, and many new faces to find out what's happening in their latest escapade. Please Read And Review!
1. Chapter 1

Dealing With Past. Facing future.  
Author: Carly  
E-mail: carlysxfiles@yahoo.co.uk  
Rating: G  
Category: MSR, Mytharc and classic characters  
Summary: An old lie, A new truth. Mulder and Scully have to deal with old faces from the past, and many new faces to find out what's happening in their latest escapade. They've never had to be so trusting on each other, or dependable that everything will work out in the end. Not knowing who's friend or foe, when seperated they have to come together in mind and spirit to stop smoking man and his team of back stabbers.   
Disclaimer: Anything you recognise is not mine, I'm only borrowing and there's nothing wrong with that.  
Authors note: thank you to everyone who has ever read anything i've ever written and encouraged me to continue  
Dedication: to all the philes especially Gothic Spook and Amanda!  
***************  
  
Scully tried to open the door as she'd been so used to doing for the past seven years, but   
it was locked. Her first thought was that she'd beat Mulder to work and he hadn't unlocked   
their office. But she could hear voices coming from inside. She knocked on the door and   
called out.   
  
"Mulder? You in there?"   
  
"Yeah, Scully, just a second."   
  
"What's going on, why the hell is the door locked?" Mulder opened the door and Scully gave   
him that look that he knew so well to mean that she wanted an explanation.   
  
"I er, I was taking a phone call. Mornin', by the way Scully."   
  
"Morning? You were taking a phone call? Why the hell did you need the door locked?"   
  
"It was an old friend, we were catching up I didn't want anyone to walk in on a private   
discussion. Is that ok by you?"   
  
"Fine."   
  
"Good."   
  
"Good." She walked over to the desk and picked up the latest issue of the Lonegunmans paper. She rolled her eyes and put it back down where she found it. She still didn't understand why Mulder read that crap. Mulder stood up from his chair and picked up his jacket.   
  
"Your going out?"   
  
"Yeah. I'm glad you arrived actually. Could you run a check on the witness accounts from that   
file we were checking out?"   
  
"What are you gonna do?"   
  
"I have to see a man about a dog."   
  
"Mulder? Mulder!" But he was long gone. Scully stood and looked on at him as he left. She   
sighed and picked up the case file they'd been working on. As she headed to the door to go   
and update Skinner, the phone rang.   
  
"Scully."   
  
"Dana Scully?"   
  
"Yes. I'm sorry who is this?"   
  
"I'm sorry I was looking for Fox. I was just speaking with him. Never mind. Bye."   
  
"Well wait, can I take a message?"   
  
"No, it doesn't matter."   
  
"Well at least let me tell him who called."   
  
"You don't know who I am?"   
  
"Should I?"   
  
"Think Agent Scully. You told me to think once, now it's your turn." They hung up and Scully's mouth dropped open as she replaced the receiver. It couldn't be, not her. Not after everything that had happened. It couldn't be her, could it? 


	2. Chapter 2

PART 2  
  
Scully was half angry with herself for even considering it. Diana Fowley was dead. She was murdered; it was not at all plausible that she could have been the one calling Mulder.  
  
As she went to Skinner's office she pushed the nagging phone call to the back of her mind. She'd soon see Mulder and sort the whole thing out. She wouldn't let him get out of it this time. She went to Skinner's office smiling at Kim as she went past. Kim shot up and stood in her way.  
  
"Sorry, I have been given express orders that you are not to disturb assistant director skinner until he's finished in his meeting."  
  
"But I've arranged to speak with him."  
  
"I'm sorry Agent Scully, but I can't let you in." Scully looked at her scowling. Her day was going from bad to worse. But she and Mulder had never listened to Kim before, why start now. She pushed open Skinner's door to see what this sudden important meeting was all about.  
  
"Mulder?"  
  
"Scully, I, er, what are you doing here?"  
  
"What am I doing here? What are you doing here! I thought you had somewhere better to be than the FBI building, you couldn't escape quick enough when I arrived this morning."  
  
"Excuse me agents, I don't have time for this. Agent Mulder I trust we're done with this?"  
  
"Yes sir. Thank you for your help." Mulder walked straight passed Scully without even a glance, or one word of explanation. She followed him out and shouted him back.  
  
"Scully, I gotta run."  
  
"Oh yeah? A man about a dog?"  
  
"Exactly." He turned around and tried to escape Scully's questions, he should have been used to her quizzing him by now. But this time it was different.  
  
"Mulder you are not going anywhere until you tell me what the hell's going on!"  
  
"What are you talking about Scully?"  
  
"You had a phone call. From a woman that wouldn't give her name, but told me to think like I'd told her to think." Mulder avoided eye contact with Scully; he had to get out of this but had no idea how. If he involved Scully in what he was doing, she could get hurt, again.  
  
"Are you saying you find it hard to believe that a woman would want to call me Scully?"  
  
"No Mulder I am not saying that at all."  
  
"Good, end of discussion. Call me if you find anything strange with that case file."  
  
"Mulder damn it just talk to me!! It was her wasn't it? It was her after I was told she was dead."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Mulder don't play the smart ass here. You know me better than that. So don't try me."  
  
He sighed and took hold of her arm, they went into the elevator and he pressed the arrow for down. When they reached the basement he carried on pulling her along to his office.  
  
"Mulder could you please let go of me, I have legs I can find my way without you dragging me around!" He sat her down in the chair and locked the door.  
  
"Ok Scully, here it is. Yes, that was Diana Fowley."  
  
"Muld..."  
  
"Wait, before you judge this whole situation with your opinions on her and your lack of trusting, remember who led you to me. you said she helped you, it was her just as much as you that saved me."  
  
"Well, I was emotional, I said things in the heat of the moment, and I still think she's, well you know what I think."  
  
"Yeah I do. But she's very alive, and very in need of my help. That's all I can tell you."  
  
"What do you mean that's all you can tell me? Mulder!"  
  
"Scully, I have to go! Carry on with that case, you're doing great."  
  
"Mulder!" He was gone. Again he left her wanting more answers to the questions that were piling up in her mind.  
  
"Well, I wish she was dead." She stood up and slammed the door shut behind him.  
  
"Agent Scully I'm surprised at you..." She turned around and before she could respond to her new company she was flat on the floor out cold... 


	3. Chapter 3

"Agent Mulder, so glad you made it."  
  
"Well I couldn't pass up the opportunity to finally kick your ass when you show me Diana."  
  
"You'll never learn agent Mulder. I have so many hopes for you, but you always fail to see what I'm really capable of."  
  
"I know exactly what you're capable of you murdering son of a b***h."  
  
Mulder approached smoking man slowly, and as he did so, smoking man moved closer to Mulder. They met half way and Mulder stared at him hard. He wanted to shove his gun in his face there and then. But he had something Mulder wanted back. He wanted to see Diana.  
  
"Was Agent Scully not able to join you on this little trip?"  
  
"She's got nothing to do with this! If you involve or harm her then I swear to god I'll kill you."  
  
"So protective of the young Dana. Expected I suppose after almost seven years together."  
  
"What are you getting at? Where's Diana?"  
  
"Patience Agent Mulder. I didn't want anything to get in the way of your reunion with Miss Fowley, she's at your apartment."  
  
"What?"  
  
"She's been there since you left this morning."  
  
Mulder turned around and got into his car. He turned on the engine and moved towards CSM. He bowed down to look at Mulder through his open car window.  
  
"If you've done anything to her..."  
  
"Which is it to be Agent Mulder? You say you'd kill for Scully, yet you still want Diana."  
  
"Scully? What are you talking about? What have you done to her?!"  
  
"I haven't done anything. But I have colleagues that might." Mulder threw a fist at the wheel and swore under his breath.  
  
"Is she ok? Is Scully ok?!!"  
  
"Well she is for the time being. But you mustn't get greedy Agent Mulder. One woman is all any man can truly find happiness with. Whichever one you chose to drive off to and rescue now, may be the only that lives. You know I have uses for Diana, she has told you of my plans. But I have just as great a need for Scully. I don't mind which one you let me have. I'll let you choose."  
  
"You are not getting either of them! I'll see to it that you never ever get anywhere near them."  
  
"Access Agent Mulder, is something I have anytime anywhere. You should know that by now."  
  
And as Mulder drove off CSM didn't know or care whether Mulder was going for Scully or Diana. And Mulder didn't know either. 


	4. Chapter 4

As Mulder was confronting CSM, Scully awoke to an empty office. She tried to stand up, but fell back down every time she roused. She felt dizzy and confused. She knew she was still at work, but what she was doing on the floor was a mystery.  
  
She hung her head low and cupped her hands around her face. She didn't feel well at all, but she couldn't get up. She called out for help, it wasn't like her to be so easily scared and worried, but she didn't have any recollection as to what had happened.  
  
"Hello!!!! Can anyone hear me?! Is there anybody out there?! I need help damn it! Gees, there's never anyone here when you need a hand, yet any other time we'd have all sorts of crap hanging around outside."  
  
"Talking to yourself Agent Scully? That's one of the first signs of madness."  
  
"Oh and you'd know all about that I'll bet."  
  
"Having trouble with your feet?"  
  
"Damn it what the hell have you done to me!! You know I can't stand up."  
  
"Oh dear. Well, there won't be a need for anymore shouting. No one will come to you. You're in Fox-Spooky-Mulder's basement office."  
  
"Actually it's our office. Didn't quite get that far with him when you were on the X-Files did you Fowley? Never had your name above the door next to Mulders."  
  
"I don't need to share a door with him, I've shared more than enough with him already. I'll always be the one Agent Scully. He'd never pick you over me."  
  
"Oh yeah? Well we'll see."  
  
"No, I don't think you understand. He knows you're in danger, but he's gone to meet me at his apartment."  
  
"And you don't think he'll come straight here afterwards?"  
  
"Why would he? He wants to be with me."  
  
"And you're here."  
  
"I'm everywhere Agent Scully."  
  
"What the hell are you talking about? You shouldn't be anywhere!! You were dead, people were safer with you out of the picture."  
  
"You were you mean, because you had Fox all to yourself. Well, not everything is how it seems to be Agent Scully."  
  
Diana turned around and opened the door. She shouted out some numbers and four more people joined them. Scully tried standing up and managed to get to her feet, but she had to keep herself propped up by the wall, she tried reaching the chair, but could hardly move. She didn't even have the energy to look up at Diana, who had been joined by her accomplices.  
  
"Agent Scully these are some friends of mine. We're close, you could say we were like family."  
  
Scully lifted her head to see not one, not two, but five Diana Fowleys standing in front of her.  
  
"What the hell's going on? How are you interfering with my vision? What did you inject me with?!"  
  
Diana laughed at Scully's attempts to still deny what her own eyes were showing her.  
  
"Even when the proof that you always beg Fox for before you'll listen to his stories is shoved right in your eyes, you won't accept it."  
  
"Accept what?"  
  
"The truth Agent Scully. The truth is we are not alone. The truth is extraterrestrials have inhabited our planet longer than any other life form, they created everything, we're here because of them."  
  
"I think you're full of crap Fowley, and I don't trust you for a second. Aliens are crap, stories to scare young children and make movies about."  
  
"We are not all the same on the inside Agent Scully. In this room we are all different."  
  
One of the clones turned themselves into the alien bounty hunter and took a small injection out of his pocket. He looked at Diana and she nodded at him. He pushed Scully to the floor and again injected her. After just a few moments she was out cold.  
  
"We must leave before Mulder arrives, he will want to check on her after his meeting with smoking man."  
  
"I know. I just have to leave something for her first."  
  
Diana leaned over Scully and slipped a small piece of paper into her pocket. She smiled to herself and followed the others out. She'd got to Scully, now she'd meet up with her other clones and see how they'd got on with Mulder at his apartment.  
  
All she needed was one piece of information, one small fact that her life depended on. She held Scully's life in her hands, but CSM held hers. And no matter what happened she wanted Mulder, and she was personally going to get Scully out of the picture for good. 


	5. Chapter 5

"Scully? Scully can you hear me?"  
  
Mulder crouched down beside her and held her up against him. He was trying to bring her round on their office floor but he was having great difficulties.  
  
"Scully? Damn it Scully wake up!"  
  
"Wh... What happened? Where am I?"  
  
"Where are you? What happened? You're at work, I was hoping you'd tell me what happened."  
  
"I, I don't...Oh my god Mulder! She was here!"  
  
"Who? Scully what's been going on?"  
  
She stood up and started pacing the room, Mulder looked at her confused. He'd not seen her this wound up for a long time. He was afraid she was getting more and more bored as their days on the X-Files were passing them by. He was scared she'd leave him to carry on alone. But she was really cut up about what had happened, he wanted to know why.  
  
"Scully you're making me go dizzy, would you sit down and tell me what the hell happened to you?!"  
  
"Mulder I will not sit down, she was here, her! Your forever friend."  
  
"Diana? Diana was here?"  
  
"Yes. She did this, she injected me."  
  
"Scully I..."  
  
"No Mulder don't start on me, I know what I saw."  
  
And she did. She'd remembered everything that she'd seen.  
  
"Scully, I was with Diana at my apartment, there was no way she could've been here."  
  
"I know what I saw Mulder! Cut the crap, she was here; she was here with some other people. Some...some, well I don't quite know how to say this."  
  
"What? What is it?"  
  
"Look, this is hard enough without you getting all demanding. There was more than one Diana Fowley standing in here."  
  
"What?"  
  
"There were six including the one that first attacked me. Then one of them...changed...he became that man. And he injected me a second time."  
  
"What man?"  
  
"Your...bounty hunter."  
  
"He was here?"  
  
"Yes, with Diana."  
  
"Scully, I think that whatever you were injected with made you delusional and imagine the second attack, I was with Diana the whole time."  
  
"Mulder!"  
  
"Well you're saying that, that she's a...a clone!"  
  
"How, how can you not believe me?! You know how hard this is for me. I tell you this trusting you and helping you, but you refuse point blank to believe what I saw."  
  
"I know Diana, Scully."  
  
"Do you Mulder?"  
  
"Yes! And I thought I knew you too. What's happened to you?"  
  
"Me? I can't believe I'm hearing this. When will you see past those blinding eyes that only let you see her as an old lover who you can't forget about? She's not the same person you knew all those years ago. You're just too blind to see it. I don't have to listen to this."  
  
"Well where are you going?!"  
  
"Home. If you have Diana you don't need me on your wild goose chases. I'll leave you to it."  
  
"Scully! Scully!"  
  
But it was no good. She left and went straight to her apartment. She'd supported Mulder from day one, and what she'd seen had almost frightened her. She couldn't deny it so easily anymore. She hadn't forgotten, she remembered, she knew what she'd seen, and any other time Mulder would have believed her.  
  
It was her, Diana was the one that got in her way. But there was nothing she could do about it. She tried to calm herself down and relax, but she felt so angry inside. She decided to go back out when her cell phone started to ring.  
  
"Scully... Sir... I'm at home...I had to uh pick something up I forgot this morning...yes Sir...yes, sure...I'm on my way."  
  
Skinner wanted to see Scully right away, he sounded p****d about something. And it sounded urgent. 


	6. Chapter 6

Mulder sat at his desk tapping a pen on the table. He had a pile of junk mail staring at him that he was not looking forward to sorting out. He usually left it to Scully, but she'd not been in to him for a week. He was beginning to realise how much he depended on her, but it might have been too late.  
  
He'd also not heard from "Diana", or CSM. He was at a loose end with all of his work. He just couldn't concentrate without Scully by his side, and he wasn't as worried about Diana as he was about his best friend. He was called into see Skinner for a meeting at short notice, so Mulder went up to his office very un-enthusiastic.  
  
"Agent Mulder are you alright?"  
  
"Yes Sir. I'm sorry, I'm just a bit pre-occupied at the moment."  
  
"Is that why I haven't heard anything from you in over a week?"  
  
"I guess so."  
  
"Well, do you plan on showing me any work?"  
  
"Uh, yes Sir I do. But I'm a little worried about Scully."  
  
"Scully?"  
  
"Yes sir. I haven't seen or heard from her for a longer period of time than normal."  
  
"Well I have. She took a couple of days off, and then asked for a case that she could deal with with another agent."  
  
"What agent? What are you talking about?"  
  
"Agent Scully expressed that she and you were having, problems. So she requested to have a break from the X-Files, a break from you. She's working on a case with Agent Wilmore. She's sending regular reports, and I can assure you that she's fine."  
  
"Oh, I see."  
  
"So, are you going to keep me informed with your work Agent Mulder?"  
  
"Yes Sir. I'll send up my reports by the end of the day."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Mulder stood up and walked towards Skinner's door, he was about to open it when he turned back round to him.  
  
"What case is Scully working on?"  
  
"I don't know if that's really any of your business Agent Mulder."  
  
"Oh come on, who am I gonna tell? I'm stuck in the basement with not even so much as a neighbouring office for me to communicate with."  
  
"Alright, alright. It's a series of murders. No immediate links between them, but I'm more than certain Agents Scully and Wilmore will do a fine job."  
  
"I'm sure they will sir."  
  
He opened the door as a hand came up to knock on the other side. It was Scully; she almost hit Mulder as her hand came down to hit the door.  
  
"Mulder, what are you doing here?"  
  
"Oh you know, the usual. Getting my ass kicked for not being a good agent with my reports."  
  
"What reports?"  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"Oh Mulder."  
  
"I know, I know. I just can't seem to function at the moment."  
  
"And why's that?"  
  
"I think you know why."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah. Why did you ask to leave the X-Files?"  
  
"I didn't ask to leave, I'm just helping another agent with some work that I thought I could use my expertise on."  
  
"Oh I see, like that is it."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
Scully rolled her eyes and felt herself getting frustrated by Mulder. She still couldn't understand why she found it so difficult being around him. He was the same guy she'd known for seven years. But they'd both changed a lot since their first days together. Not necessarily for the better.  
  
"Look Mulder, I gotta go."  
  
"I know, you have real work to do."  
  
"Yeah, real work. You shouldn't beat yourself up about anything Mulder."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"I mean it."  
  
"Ok, sure. I understand you're through with being Mrs Spooky."  
  
"It's not like that."  
  
"Look, it had to end sometime right? You can be a doctor now. See you around Scully."  
  
He walked away from her and she stared in disbelief as he left her outside Skinner's office confused and hurt. He'd been cold with her, and he knew he had. And he couldn't have regretted it more if he tried.  
  
He went back to his office and slammed the door as he entered, he wanted something to take his frustration out on, but he had to behave himself. Agent Mulder had company; an old friend that he'd betrayed Scully with was paying him a visit. And he didn't know how to react to it... 


	7. Chapter 7

"Diana, where have you been?"  
  
"Fox, I don't have time to explain, but I need you to help me with something."  
  
"What? What is it?"  
  
"I need Scully."  
  
"What do you mean you need Scully? What are you talking about?"  
  
"She has some information that I need that she shouldn't have. About a case she's working on."  
  
"The murders? What's that got to do with you?"  
  
"I can't stay here it's not safe. Please just get her to meet me."  
  
"But, I think you know that that's not very likely to happen. She's not exactly the head of your fan club."  
  
"I know that. But this is too important for our personal differences to get in the way."  
  
Mulder looked at Diana and still felt that he could trust her. He wanted to be able to believe Scully about what she saw, but he had a history with Diana that he couldn't push out of his head.  
  
Scully was right he did only see the good in her; he didn't believe that a bad Diana could possibly exist. He looked at her and tried to see her through Scully's eyes.  
  
"I have to ask you something first."  
  
"Go on."  
  
"When you were with me in my appartment, why...why did Scully say she saw you here."  
  
"Oh no."  
  
"What?"  
  
"He said he'd do this."  
  
"Who? What?"  
  
"Smoking man. He said he'd cloned me, that he'd use them against me as I tried to fight back. I didn't believe him, I've avoided the thought of it as a reality."  
  
"Well then Scully's in danger."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"She knows what's happening, he'll take her if he knows she's involved. No one was supposed to know what we were doing. She'll work it out."  
  
"Fox, I don't think she will."  
  
"She's not stupid Diana, Scully will work it out and she'll look for me. And I can't let that happen. "  
  
"But I need you, I need your help."  
  
"So does Scully. I have to go see her."  
  
"You can't, we have to leave and stop this happening."  
  
"I'm not leaving Scully when I know she's at risk, we have to tell her everything so I can protect her."  
  
"You can't protect anything from these people Mulder."  
  
"I can protect her. I am not putting her in danger; I've done that too much over the past seven years. It has to stop."  
  
"He'll already be watching her every move, he'll have her future laid out in front of him. You can't stop it."  
  
"I can, and I will."  
  
Mulder picked up his jacket and left his office. He was going to see Scully, to tell her everything. He didn't want to lose her friendship because of something he was trying to do alone. He had to find her. He went to her apartment and had no luck, so he went to Skinner. He was certain he'd tell him where she was.  
  
"Agent Mulder, I'd appreciate it if you didn't just barge into my office like this."  
  
"Where is she?"  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Where's Scully?!"  
  
"I don't appreciate your tone of voice Agent Mulder!"  
  
"I have to see her."  
  
Skinner stood up from his desk and walked up to Mulder.  
  
"Agent Scully has gone undercover for her case with Agent Wilmore. I don't expect to hear from her until next week, I can't tell you where they are because you'll blow their cover."  
  
"Damn it!"  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"She's in danger, her life is in danger."  
  
Mulder opened the door and left his office, Skinner shouted after him.  
  
"Don't blow this Mulder! Leave them to do their work! Do you hear me?! Agent Mulder?!"  
  
"Yeah!" ****************************************************************  
  
Scully sat tapping the table with a pen. She was worried about Mulder, and she hadn't seen him since their discussion. She was alone with an Agent that she couldn't get on with particularly well and she wished she were stuck in her basement like she was used to. She stood up and decided to go for a walk. When she walked out of the house, she didn't realise she was being followed. Somebody was watching her; somebody was out to get her. And somebody was ready for their attack. 


	8. Chapter 8

Mulder was pacing his apartment with Diana watching him, fearing that her plans may not work as well as she'd expected. He had to find Scully, someone other than Skinner had to know where she was. He was trying her cell phone every five minutes but it was switched off. He was worried about her. Diana sat calmly and tried to calm Mulder down.  
  
"I'm sure Scully can take care of herself Fox."  
  
"I'm sure she can too, but she doesn't know what she's up against does she?"  
  
"I know, I know. But we have to think about ourselves too, what are we going to do?"  
  
"I'm going to find Scully, I don't know or care what you're going to do."  
  
"Fox please..."  
  
"I trusted you! You told me everything that I'd ever wanted to hear so that you got me on side. But it was Scully you wanted to get rid of all along."  
  
"No, please trust me."  
  
"I don't know if I can anymore. Scully was right people do change, you've changed."  
  
"I told you the truth! I told you information that could get me killed."  
  
"You told me that smoking man was going to kill you unless you helped him try to restart his project before it was too late. But I don't see why he wants Scully. Why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"I couldn't tell you anything that would put you off helping me. I needed you."  
  
"Yeah well I don't need you. Not anymore."  
  
"What are you saying?"  
  
"If I don't find her or if she's hurt in any way, it won't be just smoking man that hold to blame. I'd like you to leave."  
  
"Fox I'm begging you, I'm telling you the truth, I need you to help me, I need you to get Scully back just as much as you want to get her back."  
  
"Well for many different reasons it would seem."  
  
"I don't want anything to happen to her either. I know she's a good friend of yours."  
  
"She's my best friend. My only friend. The only one I trust, and I have reason to believe that she's the only one that I will ever trust. I'm asking you again to leave."  
  
"Fox I..."  
  
"It's Mulder, Fowley get out of my apartment."  
  
Diana picked up her things and left. Mulder sat down and buried his head in his hands. He was at a dead end; he had no idea what to do next. He had to find her, but had no leads or anyone who'd help him out. He was fed up of sitting around waiting.  
  
He got up and tried her cell phone one last time. With still no reply, he decided to go back out looking for her. As he was about to get changed, there was a knock at his door.  
  
"Who is it?"  
  
"Mulder, it's me."  
  
"Scully?"  
  
He pulled his door open and Scully practically fell into his arms. He pulled her in to his apartment, but he wasn't expecting her to have bought someone to visit.  
  
"Alex Krycek."  
  
"Agent Mulder. It's been a long time."  
  
"Not long enough. Get the hell out of my apartment."  
  
"Not until you tell me where he is."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"The bounty hunter! He was just here where did he go?"  
  
"Diana was here, she left and that was it! Now get out and get your sorry ass out of my face before I shove my gun in yours."  
  
"I'll be back Agent Mulder. I'll find you."  
  
"If you've hurt Scully it'll be me finding you Krycek."  
  
"Mulder..."  
  
"Scully? Are you ok?"  
  
And with that Krycek was gone. He left the apartment and left Mulder seriously p****d.  
  
"What did he do Scully? Are you ok?"  
  
"I'm fine. Mulder what the hell have you gotten yourself involved in? What have I got myself involved in?"  
  
"It's a long story Scully."  
  
"Well I'm not going anywhere until you tell me."  
  
She tried to stand up next to him, but fell faint and collapsed. As Mulder laid her on his bed for some rest he prepared himself to tell her everything. And if she was worried now, it was nothing to what they were going to have to go through to get themselves out of it. 


	9. Chapter 9

Alex Krycek, Diana Fowley, The Alien Bounty Hunter and Smoking Man. All back for an attack. All with a different plan, each thinking their own is going to work best. And all of them underestimating the powers that be, Fox Mulder and Dana Scully.  
  
As Krycek had left Mulder's apartment, he went to his own place of residence and weighed up his work so far, Diana was in a state of shock about Mulder saying he'd had enough of her, Smoking man thought everything was going his way. And the Bounty Hunter was under strict orders from his own superiors to finish off what should have been finished for fifty years.  
  
None of them were staying loyal to each other despite what they may have said to each other. It was every man for himself, but nobody was afraid to cause loss of lives. They'd do whatever they had to do, no matter what the costs.  
  
*******************************************************************  
  
"Mulder?"  
  
"Yeah Scully. I'm out here."  
  
Scully awoke on Mulder's bed in the dark. It was late, and she'd been asleep since she collapsed. Mulder was sitting on his couch, apparently thinking.  
  
"What the hell happened? How long have I been sleeping?"  
  
"A while. A few hours I guess."  
  
"Mulder, are you ok?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. How are you feeling?"  
  
"Fine, I guess. A little confused, but I don't feel at all bad."  
  
"Well that's something I guess."  
  
"Mulder what is it? What's wrong?"  
  
She sat down beside him and he turned to face her. Not taking his eyes off her once, he began to explain what was going through his mind.  
  
"I've been thinking, that's all."  
  
"About?"  
  
"Hundreds of things. But mostly you."  
  
"Me?"  
  
"Yeah, you. I was thinking about what you said, about people changing, Diana, that I was blind to her true nature, her true colours. I think you were right."  
  
"Mulder I..."  
  
"No, hear me out Scully. I got involved in something that may have provided me with every answer I've ever wanted, all the proof and truths I've ever seeked may have just conveniently landed in my lap. But I realised that it doesn't matter if you've got no one to share the reality with. When I couldn't find you I felt like half of me had gone with you, that if I didn't find you nothing would matter to me ever again. I needed you, I tried to keep you in the dark because I feared that if you got involved you'd get hurt or you'd get in the way."  
  
"In the way..."  
  
"I don't mean that you'd have been a burden, I mean you'd have stopped things happening that needed to happen, things that you don't believe in or have any interest in ever believing in. I wanted to protect you, but I know that the only way I can do that is if I have you by me, helping me, my equal, my partner, my friend."  
  
Scully looked at Mulder and was intimidated by him as he still gazed at her as if he felt she'd disappear from him if he took his eyes off her for even a second. She opened her arms to him and they hugged. It was the one way that they could reassure each other; confirm to each other that they would always be there for each other.  
  
It was comforting; with that hug they expressed feelings and emotions that a married couple could express in many other physical ways. They didn't need that. They were equals, they were best friends.  
  
"Mulder, I believe in you, I believe that the answers you search for will find you, they'll meet you half way, and maybe the time is now. Maybe you were right to go on without me. Maybe the ending has come."  
  
Scully wiped a tear away from her cheek.  
  
"I better go."  
  
"Scully, I should...I want to explain. I want to tell you what's happening. What I was doing with Diana. I don't want to be alone Scully. I need you here."  
  
"I don't want to be alone either Mulder."  
  
She took Mulder's hand and held it with her own. They looked at each other and Scully sat back down with him. He made them both a drink and rejoined her to explain everything. From start to finish, with no gaps and no lies. He owed her that much at least. 


	10. Chapter 10

"Diana, you received my message I presume."  
  
"Yes. It's not going to work."  
  
"What?"  
  
"This whole situation, it's all crap. Mulder won't help me."  
  
"Well you have to make him help you."  
  
"He doesn't want to anymore. He says, he says he doesn't trust me."  
  
"Maybe he's a better judge of character than I thought."  
  
Diana looked at the smoking man and began to get angry. She'd been in love with Mulder for so long, and now she'd ruined it for good. This time she couldn't talk him round, she couldn't convince him she was the one telling the truth. And it was all because of her. If Diana was going to have any chance of succeeding, Dana Scully had to go.  
  
"He won't co-operate while he's with Scully."  
  
"Ahh, Dana Scully. If only she knew how important she was to something she didn't even think was real."  
  
"What are you going to do?"  
  
"I'm not doing anything Diana. You should know by now that others do it all for me. I don't need to kill Scully when I have people working with me to get rid of anything that gets in my way. If that includes her then so be it."  
  
"You're going to kill her?"  
  
"No, you are."  
  
"But..."  
  
"I don't think you understand. You work with me now. Not Mulder, not the FBI, me. You do as I say or you pay the price."  
  
Diana stood up from the table and headed out of the room. She didn't know what to do.  
  
"When do you want it done?"  
  
"As soon as possible. We aren't able to continue until Scully's out of the picture once and for all. Let me know when you have done your duty."  
  
Diana left and went out to her car. She drove off not knowing where she was going or what she was going to do. After a lot of hard thinking, she made a decision. Not only was Scully in the way of smoking man, but she was preventing Mulder from being with Diana. She decided it would be better all round, if Scully were gone.  
  
********************************************************************  
  
"Well, Mulder if you're going to get this off your chest now is as good a time as any."  
  
"Ok. Ok. A couple of weeks ago I got an anonymous phone call from a woman who said that she needed help from the FBI, that she needed help from me. She wouldn't identify herself, and it was only when I arranged to meet her that I knew it was her."  
  
"Diana?"  
  
"Yes. She was in a small abandoned high raise building, alone and looking ill and desperate. Even if I had wanted to I couldn't have left her there, not like that. So, we went to a motel out of town, I checked her in under a false name and paid for her to be there for two nights. We sat down afterwards and I finally got her to talk."  
  
"And this is what you had to help her with?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"And she couldn't just come to you at the bureau?"  
  
"No, she feared for her life."  
  
"And you believed her?"  
  
"Well at the time I had no reason not to."  
  
"But you do now? Is that what you're saying?"  
  
"Well I now see more logic in what you tried to get me to see for a long time Scully, there's a devil waiting in all of us."  
  
"Did I say that?"  
  
"Not exactly, but you doubted Diana, and I wish I'd have been such a good judge of character. It might have saved any of this from happening."  
  
Scully stood up and wandered round. Mulder didn't know whether to continue or wait until she said something. He didn't want to push his luck; he'd done that enough already. He was lucky he had her with him then.  
  
"So, you talked to her?"  
  
"Yeah. She told me what had happened. That her death was staged by CSM, that he wanted her to help him in a new conspiracy after his group members and his son were disloyal to him, he felt he could trust her."  
  
"Seems everyone wants to trust her. I wonder how she does it."  
  
"CSM wanted to carry on preparing for colonisation, he still believed that the aliens would come back for their final abductions, and that he could restart the project he'd been on for over fifty years. But he needed Diana's help. He wanted her to get to me so that I'd give her all of my information on abductees and what we found out on the x-files."  
  
"We?"  
  
"Yeah, you and I Scully. CSM knew that we'd got so close we could almost see the touch line, so he wanted to get our input but without approaching us directly."  
  
"Because he knew I'd kick his ass."  
  
"Exactly. So he got Diana involved. She was his information machine, it all went through her back to him."  
  
"And that's it?"  
  
"Pretty much. I was trying to help her stop him to stop him getting his plans back on track. But I failed. I failed big time."  
  
"You haven't failed Mulder."  
  
She sat down beside him and held his hand again.  
  
"We can still stop them. We've done it before we can do it again."  
  
"But I don't know what this has to do with Krycek, or why the bounty hunter is here."  
  
"Well, I'm gonna go home. And I'm gonna get some things together and we will finish this before it even has chance to begin."  
  
"I don't want you to get hurt Scully, that's why I didn't tell you anything, CSM wants abductees, he wants them to be his test subjects again."  
  
"Mulder I'll be fine. Remember what you said, you can protect me if I know everything, and I do now right?"  
  
"Right."  
  
"So. I trust you Mulder. Get some rest ok, I'll be back first thing in the morning."  
  
Scully got up and left Mulder's apartment. She went to her car and felt relieved that she and Mulder were finally back on good terms even if it was with unlucky circumstances. She got in her car and drove off. As she turned around the corner she felt a chill and had a weird sensation. She pulled over and had a break. Then she felt it. Someone had a gun pressed to the side of her head.  
  
"Don't move." 


	11. Chapter 11

PART 11  
  
Scully had been driving for hours and no longer recognised where she was, especially in the dark. The cold metal of the gun was still pressed against her head and she was actually afraid.  
  
But she knew she had to remain calm if she ever wanted to see the light of day again. She tried to keep quiet and not take notice of him, but Krycek was more interested in asking questions than letting them sit quietly until he decided that they'd reached their destination.  
  
"I'm surprised that CSM and Diana didn't get to you before I did. They'll be missing you by now I'd expect. I've been through so much crap because of him, it's pay back time."  
  
"My heart bleeds for you."  
  
"Oh you've found your voice! I was beginning to think I'd done something to offend you."  
  
Scully looked at him and shook her head in disbelief. How he could sit there acting like the one that had been hard done by was beyond her. He was driving her crazy.  
  
"You don't understand the pain and torture I went through. The crap I've had to deal with, it's almost killed me."  
  
"Only almost, we'll have to try harder next time."  
  
"Do you have something you'd like to get off your chest Dana?"  
  
"You think you're so precious and hard done to, you're a cold blooded killer who'll do whatever it takes to get up the ass of whoever's giving out the orders, because you have no guts, so you do as you're told instead of what you want. You're a loser Krycek, one sorry son of a b***h who should've been killed a long time ago. I have no sympathy for you, and I never will."  
  
"Well, if you're quiet finished. I think we should take a break. Pull in over there."  
  
"Where? There's nothing here?"  
  
"Just do it!"  
  
She stopped the car and opened her door to get out, but Krycek grabbed her arm.  
  
"Oh no. I'm not that stupid."  
  
He hand cuffed her to the steering wheel and got out himself. He then hand cuffed her to his own wrist and dragged her into an old abandoned building. When they got inside it was pitch black, Krycek shone a torch around and then stopped it over a doorway.  
  
"You think I'm so bad, well here. Your own room for the night."  
  
He uncuffed her and pushed her to the ground, he then kicked her down a flight of stairs. As Scully lay on the floor barely conscience, she heard the door shut and lock. There was no way out and all of her energy was gone. She had no choice but to give in to her aching body and fell asleep, not being 100% sure if she'd wake up again. ********************************************************************* The news of Scully's kidnapping had reached CSM and Diana. She didn't know whether it was a good or a bad thing. Scully was out of her way now, but for how long? CSM thought it was the vital chance they needed.  
  
"Now we can proceed."  
  
"But with Scully gone Mulder will want to find her. He'll be permanently pre-occupied."  
  
"He will."  
  
"He'd never agree to help us."  
  
"He will."  
  
"I don't understand?"  
  
"With Scully out of the picture Mulder will turn to you and offer his help. He need never know that she's gone."  
  
"How is that possible? He'll know by morning at least."  
  
"No he won't. The bounty hunter could prove to have his uses to us. He will portray himself as Scully and convince Mulder that to pursue you and I would be a mistake. He'll reluctantly agree to keep her happy. But he'll offer you his services in secret. And we will succeed."  
  
"He doesn't want this to happen."  
  
"But he doesn't want anything to go wrong if he can't stop it, to ensure his own survival."  
  
"What if it does goes wrong?"  
  
"It won't. You have to choose who you trust very carefully Diana. You have chosen well in me, and I in you. We're a team now."  
  
"And Scully?"  
  
"What about Scully? It's no longer in our hands. Mulder will come to us. I promise you." ******************************************************************** The next morning Mulder sat waiting for Scully to arrive at his apartment. He began to wonder where she was as the minutes passed; he thought she'd have been earlier. He was anxious for her arrival, so they could begin their work. As he began to get worried there was a knock at his door.  
  
"Oh hey Scully, come in. You ready?"  
  
"Of course I am Mulder. I'm always ready."... 


	12. Chapter 12

PART 12  
  
"Mulder are you really sure about this?"  
  
"Yeah Scully. Why?"  
  
"I just don't want us to get involved in something that we don't need to be a part of."  
  
"But we spoke about it Scully. We both agreed to fight back. I told you everything I knew and as a team we're going to stop them. It's the way it's meant to be Scully. I couldn't stop them before because I didn't have the power, but now I have you by my side. We can bring them down together."  
  
Scully looked at Mulder and was determined to get him to change his mind. She was under orders to stop Mulder wanting to be with Scully and to force him into the direction of Diana.  
  
"I just have a bad feeling about it. I think we may have been too quick to reach a decision last night, we were both tired. I really think we should sit and think about this."  
  
"Scully are you ok?"  
  
"I'm fine Mulder. I'm just scared that we may not escape this alive. We've been through so much, to carry this on now may end it for us completely."  
  
"Are you still talking professionally? Or is there some other thing that this may end for us?"  
  
"Mulder..."  
  
"I know, I'm sorry. I should just stick to the job in hand."  
  
Scully took hold of Mulders hand and stood close by him. She looked at him and tried the innocent look to convince him he was wrong.  
  
"Mulder I care about you. And now my hand is in your hand, not a job. Please, lets just let this be. If things are going wrong anyway then CSM won't succeed whether we get in his way or not."  
  
Mulder looked at Scully partly confused and frustrated, but partly besotted by her and her plea for him to call it a day. He couldn't find it in himself to make her unhappy. She was all he had. She was all he wanted.  
  
"Ok, ok Scully. We won't go. We'll leave it to the powers that be and see what happens."  
  
"Thank you Mulder. I gotta go."  
  
"Where?"  
  
"I er, I have to meet a repair man at my apartment."  
  
"So that's why you're blowing me off this morning! A hot date with a man in a uniform."  
  
"Mulder."  
  
"Joke, Scully."  
  
"I'll call you later."  
  
"Ok, bye."  
  
As Scully left Mulder's apartment, he was really considering not going after CSM and Diana, but part of him knew he couldn't just sit around waiting for the inevitable. He had to try, no matter what Scully said. He'd be back before she noticed he'd even gone. So as he cleared it with himself morally, the ABH was in a meeting with CSM getting him now how everything went.  
  
With the ABH not used to having to be a woman, CSM was very happy with the results he'd now found himself with due to the meeting in Mulder's apartment. Now he believed more than ever that his plans would be a success, and that he would get the better of all that had deceived him in the past. 


	13. Chapter 13

PART 13

As Krycek woke Scully up in the dark room that he'd thrown her in, he was angry with himself for getting so violent with her. He wanted her alive and unharmed so he didn't have to keep her propped up all the time. He didn't need her getting weak and faint on him. He tried to get her up, but she wasn't in good shape at all.

"Damn it Scully! Get up. Gees, come on!"

"What the hell are you yelling for! That's not gonna reverse the fact that you pushed me down a flight of stairs and I can now hardly move."

"I wish it'd been your voice that had been affected! Shut up and get up!"

He lifted her up and finally got her outside. He cuffed her hands behind her back and put her in the passenger seat of the car. He became the designated driver and sped off across the open road that lay before them. Scully tried to keep her eyes open but she was so tired. She didn't know where they were, where they were going, and what the hell was going on.

All she knew was that she wanted to go home. And she wanted to see Mulder. She was afraid and she was certain he'd help her. But she didn't know that as far as he was concerned she was at home with a repairman, she was fine. But in reality, she was far from fine. And time was running out for her to ever be fine again.

"Where are we?"

"Oh, welcome back to the land of the un-dead Agent Scully. You've been sleeping all day."

"What time is it?"

"It's time you stopped asking questions and let me concentrate."

"On what? You have me here you'll have CSM and Diana thinking you're so clever for kidnapping an FBI agent, and you'll have some nice fighting to do when Mulder gets here to kick your ass."

Krycek burst out laughing and pulled over as he tried to calm down. He'd found her comment extremely funny.

"You still don't get it do you? You don't even know where you are how the hell is Mulder going to find you! You won't get your hug and kiss on the cheek this time Agent Scully. Mulder will not find you. And even if he does, he'll be far too late to do anything for you."

"What are you talking about?"

"You'll see."

"Damn it Krycek! What the hell is going on?!"

"There's no need for you to worry about that. You just enjoy the ride. We're almost there and I think you could do with giving that voice a rest after all the moaning you've done. Take in the scenery, it's the last time you'll see the outside world for a long time."

Krycek pulled off and again they spent hours on the road. Scully didn't fall asleep again. She couldn't. She just sat thinking about how she was going to escape this situation alive. She was afraid that Krycek was right and that Mulder wouldn't find her. Little did she know that Krycek was right. Mulder wasn't going to find Scully, but for a host of different reasons.

Mulder had been sitting in his car for almost two hours before he decided to get out and pay Diana a visit. He'd been thinking about what Scully had said to him, to let sleeping dogs lie, leave things to be handled by fate. But fate had a cruel way of working sometimes. He had to finish what had been started all those years ago. This time he had to finish it for good.

"Fox, I was afraid you wouldn't help me anymore."

"Well don't flatter yourself. I can think of a thousand other places I'd rather be right now."

"Well I'm glad you came."

"I didn't really have much of a choice."

"There's always a choice Fox."

"I disagree. I may have driven here intending to see and speak with you, but I didn't choose to spend my day like this. I had to. I can't have this hanging over my head anymore."

"So you're going to help me?"

"I'll do whatever it takes to close down that cigarette smoking son of a bh and to make sure I never have to see you again."

"Fox I..."

"No Diana, I have reasons to believe that you've been lying to me, maybe now, and definitely in the past."

"I'd never lie to you, I'm not lying to you now."

"Well, maybe. But I'm not willing to take that chance anymore."

As Diana began to speak gain, Mulder's cell phone started ringing.

"Mulder."

"Hey Mulder it's me."

"Oh hey Scully (ABH) You ok?"

"I'm not feeling too well, I'm going to take a couple of days to myself with my mom at her place."

"Oh ok. Do you need a hand sorting anything out?"

"No, I'll be fine Fox, I just thought I'd let you know."

"Scully? You just called me Fox."

"Did I? Sorry F...Mulder. I gotta go. Don't try to reach me ok?"

"Sure. Let me know when you're back ok?"

"No problem. Bye F...Mulder."

"See ya Scully."

Mulder hung up his phone and looked into space confused. He was puzzled by Scully's sudden illness and her confusion over his name. Diana looked pd off about something.

"She always has a way of interrupting us doesn't she."

"There is no us Diana. Scully isn't feeling too well. If anybody is with me as an us it's her."

"You're worried about her?"

"I, I just hope she's ok. I'm sure it's nothing serious. I'll call her back if I don't hear

from her in a couple of days."

"So we can carry on with things here."

"We can finish things here."

"Well here we are Agent Scully."

"Where? We're not anywhere. No buildings no people no nothing."

"Exactly this is it. This is the end of the road."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about the end. Your end."

As Krycek got out of the car, Scully sat quietly and felt a tear run down her cheek. Never before in her life had she been so scared. She was usually so strong. But now she couldn't have been any weaker.


	14. Chapter 14

PART 14

"Alex, you're doing well, I must have had an effect on you when you were working for me."

"Don't be too self sure old man. I have always been capable of more without you."

CSM stood directly in front of Scully and looked at her as he spoke to Krycek.

"Maybe so, but I think that I should make it clear, you would never have gotten to Agent Scully were it not for my help."

"That may be so, but I got her here none the less. I was able to keep Mulder out of the way."

"Mulder thinks that Scully is taking a break with her mother."

"What! You bd! What the hell have you told him!"

"Agent Scully I so rarely see you upset like this. How can I ease your worry?"

"Let me go you son of a bh. I have no idea what the hell is going on and I don't wish to. Let me go and you might escape this unharmed."

"Agent Scully I think you've missed the point..."

"NO, you have. Mulder may not know where I am right now. But he will and he'll find us, he'll know what you're planning and he'll stop you before you get even close. The point is you've never won before, and you sure as hell are not going to win now."

"Well, we'll just have to wait and see. Why don't we take a small ride in my car? I have

somewhere for the three of us to stay."

Krycek looked at CSM and frowned.

"Three? You're telling Diana about this?"

"No you fool! You are joining Agent Scully and I for the final stages of the procedure."

Scully looked at CSM and shock her head in disbelief.

"Gees, Diana doesn't know what you're doing? I thought she was your new partner in crime."

"You should hear me now and remember what I say Agent Scully. Diana is with Mulder, no doubt getting what she's wanted for so long..."

"He wouldn't!"

"Wouldn't what Agent Scully?"

Scully blushed and gave CSM a hard stare full of hate and anger.

"He wouldn't trust her."

"Maybe, but she is very persuasive. As I have you here for my plans, she will be getting the adequate information from Mulder. We will then meet up and put the two together. So we can win. Believe it or not, if Diana knew that you were going to be killed she wouldn't be completely happy. Maybe a little. But she knows that if you were to die Mulder's spirit would die with you."

Scully scowled and was about to speak again before Krycek interrupted her.

"Shouldn't we move on? We don't want to stay in the open like this."

"Very well, we'll take my car. Alex, you can drive. Agent Scully and I will sit in the back."

And with his final command the three of them got into the car and drove off into the vast

emptiness of the desert. Scully had no idea where they were, but she no longer just had fears for her life, she feared that Diana would get her way with Mulder, and that made her feel hurt, and more alone than she'd ever thought possible.

"Fox I hope we can be friends when this is all over."

"I don't think that that's such a good idea Diana. We should stay as far away from each other as possible."

"But I thought that...I thought we could at least try."

"Try what Diana? I don't understand you anymore. There was a time when I thought that I knew you better than I've ever known anyone else. But I don't know you at all, and I don't want to."

"But I love you Fox. I always have and always will. And even if you choose to walk away and not believe me, that is the truth, and I mean it more than anything I've ever said in my life."

Mulder walked closer to Diana and bowed his head down to her ear. Diana felt a cold chill. She looked at him and thought that he was going to kiss her.

"Well that's too bad Fowley. Because I only have room for one woman in my heart and that space is taken. And it sure as hell isn't by you."

And with his heartbreaking words to Diana he left and slammed the door hard behind him. He walked out to his car and sat for a few minutes thinking. He never thought about how much truth was in his words, but he was right. His heart was taken, and it was time for the keeper of his heart to know. Before she'd never be able to know anything ever again...


	15. Chapter 15

PART 15

As Mulder sat in his apartment constantly trying to get in touch with Scully he finally began to panic. She'd asked him not to get in touch with her, but he couldn't even get through to her mother. He was running out of ideas and he wasn't getting any calmer as the hours passed. He tried to get some sleep to start his search for her the next day, but he couldn't relax. He'd never been this worried about her before. He'd had plenty of reasons to worry before of course, they had after all been through so much together, but for some reason his worry went deeper this time. He was desperate to see her, to see her in all her glory. He needed her.

CSM led Scully and Krycek into an old shed of some sort. It was in the middle of a forest and was miles away from any other kind of civilisation. CSM sat down and lit a cigarette; Krycek stayed standing and pushed Scully down into a chair. The silence was eerie and because it was so quiet the smallest sound came across ten times louder.

"We should only need to spend two nights here at the most."

Scully ignored him; she was fed up of listening to their constant talk of plans and ideas. Apart from being worried, she was bored.

"And then what?"

"Then we are being met by Diana and we can finish off. Tidy up. Hide our tracks."

"And then that's it? It's over?"

"No Alex. Then it can begin. It can finally become a reality, a reality that should have

happened a long time ago."

As the silence again enveloped them, Scully waited for them to get tired. And eventually they fell asleep, as she'd hoped. CSM and Krycek both lay on a couch and were out for the count. Scully gave them half an hour and made her move. Her hands were still cuffed, but that was all they'd done to keep her secure. She was free to move how she pleaded

apart from her hands. So she made her dash for freedom. And she got a hell of a lot further than she thought she would. But she could've got further if it wasn't for her interruption.

The following day Mulder entered the FBI building and went straight to Skinner's office. Kim was gone from her desk, so he went straight in. He didn't even consider being hesitant. He had to see him, and he had to see him now.

"Agent Mulder? What are you doing here?"

"Well, from what I can recall I work here sir."

"Very funny Mulder. Where is my assistant?"

"I don't know, she's gone from her desk. Sir I need to talk to you."

"Can't it wait? I have important things to do this morning Mulder."

"Sir I understand that you're a busy man, but I really need your help."

"My help? With what?"

"Agent Scully has gone missing."

"Not again. As far as I know she's still undercover."

"What? She left that days ago. I've spoken with her since then."

"I don't understand. What's happened?"

"I spoke with her two days ago, and she then called me to say she was taking a break with her mother. I couldn't get in touch with either her or her mother until this morning."

"And?"

"And Mrs Scully has no idea where she is. There was no break arranged, and she hasn't heard from Scully in some time."

"Well how was she when you last saw her?"

"She was, different. We arranged to do some...research into a project outside of the bureau, and then she backed out the next day. And she called me Fox. She hasn't done that for years."

"And you suspect something is wrong?"

"Yes. Her behaviour was far from normal, and if I didn't know better I'd say...I'd say that

the person I last saw wasn't really her."

Skinner stood up from his desk and walked over to Mulder. He looked at him and showed concern, but he also looked like he knew something he was keeping back. Something that Mulder was un aware of. He made sure his office door was closed and he then sat Mulder down and sat himself beside him. Skinner's sudden kindness and thought for him worried Mulder. He realised that he was not going to like what he heard. But at the end of the day if he wanted Scully back, he had to listen to what Skinner had to say.


	16. Chapter 16

PART 16

"Do you remember that day Agent Scully caught you in my office when you told her you'd gone out?"

"Yeah, it was only a few days ago."

"Well, I called her back in in the afternoon, you know, after you'd gone out after your own cause for that day, I had something to sort out with her. I think I came across a little angry or annoyed with her, but I only wanted to tell her about the undercover case that I wanted her on. When she got here she was pre-occupied to say the least. I didn't question her I just told her what I wanted and left it at that. But I couldn't help feeling that something important was bothering her."

"She told you didn't she. She told you that I'd briefly told her about Diana."

"Well she said you'd touched on the subject but left her with more questions than answers. So, I told her everything."

"You what?"

"I told her everything that you'd told me, and of course she wanted to be involved."

"Gees why didn't you just hold a gun to her head and shoot her there and then! It would've saved al of this confusion in the middle!"

"I didn't know that her life was in danger! You never expressed that clearly to me."

"I told you she wasn't to know! I told you that under any circumstances Scully was to be left out of it!"

Mulder was now standing up pacing the room. Skinner watched his every move. Despite him always having to play the big boss he did worry about his agents, Mulder and Scully more than others. If he really had been the one to put Scully at risk he felt terrible.

"I'm sorry Agent Mulder. I truly am."

"Yeah well sorry isn't a magic word that'll make her reappear."

"Mulder..."

"I have to go now. I have to find her before it's too late."

"And risk your own life?"

Mulder looked at Skinner who was now standing in front of him again. They were stood by the door and Mulder looked straight at him.

"I have no doubt that if I was ever in a situation like this, Scully would find me no matter

what the cost. I have to, I want to do the same for her."

Skinner let him go. And reached out for the door. As he opened it a hand came through the opening.

"Agent Scully?"

"Sir? Is there a problem Fox? Mulder!"

"Scully where've you been?"

"With my mom."

"I called your mom, she knew nothing about a visit from you."

"Well, I was planning on surprising her, but I changed my mind on the way."

"But you haven't seen her for some time now, why change your mind?"

"F...Mulder please, lets just forget it and get to work."

Skinner looked at Mulder puzzled. He could see that Mulder wasn't convinced, and if he was honest with himself he didn't believe what he was hearing either.

"Sir I would request that this woman is kept out of the bureau and out of my office, she is not who she says she is."

"Mulder it's me, Dana."

"Scully! Damn it, it's not you! I don't believe it. I know the real Dana Scully, you are not

her!"

"Agent Mulder why don't we sit down and talk about this."

"I'm through with talking! I'm sorry sir, I have to find Agent Scully."

"Fox I'm here!"

But it was no use. Mulder was out of the door and out of the building. Scully swore under her breath and began to panic. Mulder was at last putting the pieces together. He'd not been totally honest with Scully, and she hadn't been honest with him. But they were paying for their mistake now.

Skinner grabbed a jacket and headed out of his office. But as he got out of his door, Scully came and grabbed his arm.

"What the?!"

"Sorry G-Man, I think we need to have a small talk."

And as Skinner was dragged back into his office, Scully showed her true identity, the ABH...


	17. Chapter 17

PART 17

Mulder's first thought was to try the lone gunmen for help, but he wanted as few people as possible to know what was happening. He'd already got more people involved than he should have; he wasn't about to make the same mistake twice. He went to Scully's apartment to see if there were any clues there, but he couldn't find anything. He turned the place upside down but found nothing out of the ordinary; it was as if she'd vanished without a trace, without ever being found.

He sat down on her couch and looked at the mess he'd created around him. It was the story of his life really; everything he touched got messed up or destroyed. He couldn't keep anything safe and away from harm, he felt like a failure. And when he felt like that there was only one person who could lift his spirits back up. One person that could make him smile. But she was nowhere to be seen, and as far as he knew, he may never see her again.

Scully had gone about three miles before having to stop for a rest. She knew she had to keep going, but no matter how much her head was saying run, her body was saying stay. She was sitting on a large rock with her head between her legs. She felt sick and dizzy. She'd not eaten or drank for 48 hours; she was ready to give up for good. But as she sat, she could hear something moving in the bush.

Her first thought was that it was Krycek or CSM, but she discarded that thought because she was sure they'd have just ran out after her and not have hung about first. Waiting for the right moment to pounce. No this was different, something was getting closer and closer to her, louder and louder, and she didn't know whether to stay or go, but she didn't really have a choice. She couldn't physically get up to go, so she waited. She waited for it to reach her.

"Who's there?!" No reply. "I said who's there?!" Still no reply. But as she turned around a hand wrapped itself around her mouth and stood her upright.

"Don't be alarmed please. I can help you."

Scully tried to struggle out of his tight hold on her, but it was no use. He was a big man, and his strength exceeded her own without questioning. He was tall too, but she couldn't see his face. He finally let his hand go from her mouth and turned her to face him.

"Who are you?"

"I don't have time to explain, I have a place you will be safe, please come with me, and I will explain once you have gotten your strength back."

"But why, why should I trust you?"

"What is your alternative? Stay out here all night and die of thirst, starvation, cold? Or

maybe all three."

As Scully contemplated going with him, another noise came from the bush, and a series of other people evolved from the surrounding area.

"What the hell is this?"

She stood up to leave and get away from them, but as she did so her footing went from beneath her. And as she blacked out her body shouted for victory, because she was no longer physically capable of getting up and running. And there was the question of whether she needed to run from these people anyway.

She'd never know unless she woke up. But she lost her freewill, as she was carried to a set of small huts in the middle of the forest where it appeared that maybe at last she was safe from Krycek and CSM. But what of her new company?...


	18. Chapter 18

PART 18

Skinner was trying to keep his cool, but he wasn't a man that liked being put in compromising situations. The ABH had sat him down on a chair and was pacing the floor in front of him. He didn't know what to do, the ABH looked calm and in control, if Skinner tried anything he didn't know who else he might be endangering.

He didn't want to put Mulder and Scully into any kind of situation that would harm them more than they already were. And he was still getting over seeing Scully change into a man. He was very confused and at a dead end. He decided to stand up and see what the ABH did.

"Sit. You're not going anywhere. Sit for a while."

"I don't understand this. What the hell is going here, has this got anything to do with Agents Mulder and Scully?"

"You're not as stupid as you look are you." Skinner looked at him scornfully and sat back down.

"Mulder and Scully are helping us with a small project. They'll get their just deserts, their

reward for helping us."

"What?"

"When we're done with them, they'll meet their course of ending."

"Ending? You're going to kill them?"

"I'm afraid I can't tell you anymore."

"What do you mean? What aren't you saying? Who are you working for?"

"Enough questions!"

The ABH went over to Skinner and grabbed him; he pushed him to the ground

and stood over him. He took a small object from his pocket and injected Skinner; before he did he gave him one final thought.

"With you here out of my way, I can access anything I want in your office. And I will make it known you played a big part in the demise of Mulder and Scully. See you in hell G-Man."

And as Skinner lay unconscious the ABH found what he wanted and left. He was going to kill who he had to kill and he was going to destroy anything that got in his way. He went to meet with CSM, and finalise the details.


	19. Chapter 19

PART 19

Skinner awoke to find Mulder standing over him. He sat up and Mulder sat beside him, both were on the floor.

"Sir are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine Agent Mulder."

"What happened?"

"I honestly don't know. You left, Agent Scully...Agent Scully was not Agent Scully."

"What do you mean?"

"She, she changed, her appearance was...different to say the least."

"She became a he?"

Skinner looked at Mulder as if to say why don't you think I'm going mad, because he clearly thought that himself. But Mulder believed him, he didn't understand why.

"Yes, a man. What the hell is going on Mulder?"

"It's a long story Sir."

"Well I'd really like to hear it. Now."

"But I really don't think that you should get involved."

"Agent Mulder I am involved, as long as two of my agents are involved in something, then so am I."

Mulder looked at him, and Skinner could see that he still had doubts about whether to speak to him or not.

"I want to help you Mulder, I want to help both of you. We have to find her."

Mulder stood up from the floor and walked around the room. Skinner sat at his desk and got himself back together. Mulder stood in front of him and took a deep breath.

"Ok, I'll tell you, I'll explain everything. I could do with your help. I don't know what I'm

going to do if I don't get Scully back. I don't know that I could live without her."

Skinner looked at him above his glasses.

"Well I mean she's become so important to my work in the x-files, I need her."

"I understand Agent Mulder. We'll find her."

"Thank you Sir."

Meanwhile, Scully was being taken care of by a group of about ten people, who all looked like they'd been living in huts their whole lives. She didn't wake up until late that night, but when she did, she didn't know whether she was better or worse off than with CSM and Krycek.

She was in a room alone and she could hear people busy outside, she could smell something cooking and although she was extremely hungry, her hunger didn't seem powerful enough to let her eat what was eventually placed in front of her.

"Really, I'm not hungry, thank you."

"You must eat. You must regain your strength."

"I'm fine, that sleep did me the world of good, really."

"Well, you have not eaten for a long time I am sure."

"No, I guess not."

As she spoke more and more of food, she got more and more hungry.

"It is a special recipe that we only have ourselves."

"No kidding?"

"Yes, you will not find this anywhere but here with us."

"Who exactly are you."

A tall man that had escaped Scully's attention until now stepped forward from the group and sat opposite her at the table. The others were all looking at each other as if they were nervous about what he may say.

"You found her like the others?"

"Yes, the same."

"What others what are you talking about?"

"The others are all ok for tonight yes?"

"Yes, they are all fed and about to go to sleep."

"Good. See to it that lights are out and that everything is tidy. It's getting dark and we

don't want to leave any traces of life during the evening."

"Yes of course. Come on everyone, let's go."

Everyone but this one man left the room and left Scully alone with him. She watched everyone leave as they obeyed him. He then turned his attention to her. He studied her face and her body; he then stood up and moved to sit beside her.

"I thought that they'd finished. That it was going to stop."

"What?"

"It has been so long since they brought anyone out here."

"What are you talking about?"

"You do not know?"

"No! Know what?"

"There is a lot for me to tell you in a short space of time. We must talk in the dark. The

search will be done soon, they cannot find us in the dark."

"Look, I'm a federal agent, just let me rest tonight and I'll leave tomorrow."

"It's not as simple as that. Your FBI title won't gain you any points out here."

"I don't understand."

"You will. Oh you will."


	20. Chapter 20

PART 20

As the final preparations were made for Scully's new company to go into hiding for the night, she sat in the darkness waiting for her explanation of what the hell was going on and why she couldn't leave. She was still very tired and fed up; she wanted to go home, to her own comfy apartment. She wanted to see a nice familiar face, she wanted to see Mulder.

"I am sorry for my delay. I have to check that we are out of sight from the spies."

"Spies?"

"Yes, they come every night to see if there is anyone living out here."

"And they never find you?"

"No. We are very careful, very precise. Not one clue of our existence is left on view at

nightfall."

"But I don't understand what this has to do with me. I mean, I appreciate your efforts to help me, but I really do have to leave as soon as possible."

"I am sorry. It just simply isn't possible."

"No, I'm sorry. I have to go. I have to get home, to my partner."

"Your partner? You are married?"

He pointed to her hand being without a wedding band.

"I'm not married, he's my work partner. He needs my help. I need to be with him."

"I understand. But you have to understand us first. I have much to tell, you have to be a good listener."

"Fire away, I'm all ears."

Scully looked at the man sitting in front of her. He looked eager to talk, but he also looked like he was afraid, like there was something even he was afraid of despite his obvious role of leader within their group. He moved closer towards her and brought

his lamp closer to light up his and Scully's faces.

"The lamp is a great risk, but I feel I must make sure you can see what I am telling you as

well as hearing it."

"So go ahead, I'm waiting. What's so important?"

"There are ten of us that you have seen tonight. Ten people living in the emptiness of a

forest, alone, without anything else that you'd call civilisation. We have lived like this for

several years, I was the first along with my wife who was eventually found and killed."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Some things are meant to happen we can't stop them. Anyway, aside from us in small underground huts, there are 500 more people living like us, but they are permanently in the dark, they cannot stand light or the sun."

"What? How do they live like that?"

"They were found by us in an abandoned house a few miles out of the forest. They had been subjected to some sort of torture and were barely alive. None of them are able to look at light because their eyes will not allow it, they are all partially blind, some are deaf, some are disabled, some are brain dead and cannot experience anything anyway. But we cannot become like them and kill the ones that already are dead in their minds, we are not murderers."

"But I don't understand? Who does this? Why haven't they been stopped?"

"They cannot be stopped, they will just kill in cold blood. We have given the other 500 the best life we could provide, but the ten of us are the ones that were able to escape before they got to us, we escaped unharmed, my wife didn't, and was therefore unable to continue with us. She died after they found her lying amongst fallen leaves. I watched from a distance but there was nothing I could do. I watched them kill her like I've watched them kill so many others. I don't know that they have names, but I know that they are pure evil. And they have begun the tortures again, we found three dead yesterday. And now you."

"But I'm fine. I haven't been tortured."

"Because you got away. I wish I could stop them for good."

Scully stood up; she'd got cramp in her legs from sitting down for so long. The man stood beside her and held the lamp up so they could clearly see each other. Scully didn't know what to do; she didn't know how to react or how to get out of it. What had she stumbled upon? Was it at all related to CSM and his plans with Diana and Krycek? She didn't have a clue. But one thing she did know was these people needed her help, and she was going to have to give it to them. She didn't feel that she really had a choice. As she began to speak, there was a noise coming from outside. She looked at him and his face fell.

"They are here! They have come to search for us."...


	21. Chapter 21

PART 21

"Mulder what you're saying is that there is a group of men killing innocent people for selfish purposes. For reasons that I haven't witnessed in my worst nightmares. People being tortured."

"Yes sir I am."

"But where's your proof? Where have you got this information from?"

"I don't have any proof, but I can promise you that I tell not one word of a lie."

Skinner stood up from his desk, he wanted to believe Mulder and help him find Scully, but it was so unrealistic. It would be completely against his better judgement if he pursued the leads Mulder was offering. Mulder could see that Skinner's enthusiasm to help him was faltering so he stood up too and walked over to him.

"Seven years sir, seven years we've been having these conversations about how "spooky" my work is, but after all this time you'd think I know what I was doing."

"What are you trying to say Agent Mulder?"

"I'm saying, trust me. Even if you only ever trust me once in your whole life, let that moment of trust be now. I need you to help me find her; I can't get to these people alone. I should have Scully to help me but they've taken her too, I need you to back me up to get her back. So I can have back what is rightfully mine."

"Agent Scully is not rightfully yours."

"She is my partner, my friend and the only person that I can depend my life on, I can't work on the X-Files alone, or with anyone else. Either we find her, or...or the X-Files are closed, effective immediately."

Skinner could see in Mulder's eyes that he was serious, that he meant every word. And despite wanting to do his job within the regular rules and regulations, he had a yearning to help, to bring down the people that were so set on bringing down his best two agents.

"Ok, I'll help you. Whatever I can do I'll do, no questions asked. You have my full

co-operation."

"Thank you sir. I think I know how we can begin."

Skinner and Mulder's talks were happening while Scully was being informed of the details she found herself stuck in. The man whose name she still hadn't learned of was telling her about his life and the other people he'd dedicated his life to helping. But when Mulder and Skinner could go home to comfy beds and warmth and safety, Scully was being led to a hole in the ground where she followed her narrator until they reached an opening into the depths of the earths soil. There the 500 people she'd been told of surrounded her. All of them were sleeping, all but one small child who sat shivering in a corner.

"They will not find us down here. They are not clever enough. They hunt well but not well enough. Although we each say a small prayer to God for getting us through another night."

"What is this? Where are we?"

"We are in the living quarters of the people I told you about. They are sleeping now, you can meet them tomorrow if you like."

"I just want to go home."

"Sorry?"

"Nothing, what's that there?"

"Where?"

"Over in the dark in the corner."

"That is Nacelles, she is the youngest here at the moment. She's five years old, and she

doesn't speak at all. She can hear and see perfectly, we don't know how the tortures didn't

affect her, but she is very lucky. Although she may never speak again in her life, she has

been scared by what she saw when she was trapped by the men."

Scully walked over to the small girl sitting alone in the quiet. She sat beside her and the girl didn't move a muscle, she didn't even look at Scully until she started speaking to her.

"Are you ok?"

"She will not speak back."

Scully looked at the man as if to say just give me a chance and back off. He seemed to get the message and went to see if it was safe to go back up to the huts.

"You're Nacelles right? My name is Scully, Dana Scully. Are you ok? Which bed is yours?"

The girl looked at Scully and smiled. She stood up and held her hand out to Scullys. She too stood up and they went over to a curtain that was hanging between two separate areas. The area they went into was a playroom of sorts, a child's room basically. The girl pointed to a pile of blankets on the floor and again smiled.

"Is that where you sleep? Would you like me to make it comfy for you?"

Scully set out the blankets in the arrangement of a bed and sat on top of it. She patted beside her and the girl sat with her.

"Is that ok?"

Nacelles nodded her head and lay down, still holding onto Scully's hand. Scully covered her up and lay beside her. Before she knew it they were both fast asleep.


	22. Chapter 22

PART 22

When Scully woke up the next morning Nacelles was sitting looking down on her. She looked upset and when she saw Scully wake up she ran out of the room and hid behind the curtain. Scully got up and followed her out.

"Hey, what's wrong? What's happened sweetie?"

"Miss Scully? You're awake, would you like to come up for breakfast?"

Scully looked at the woman in front of her and stood up. She looked back at the girl who was still hidden by the curtain.

"Will she be ok?"

"She'll be fine. She's always like this. We sometimes wonder if she has any human understanding at all. Such a waste of a life. She'll never know true happiness or laughter. But please, do not worry of her, we have breakfast then I believe you wanted to see the dead people we found the other day?"

"Yes, that's right."

Scully walked towards the stairs to go up into the huts when Nacelles showed her small face popping out around the curtain.

"D...a...n...a."

Scully spun her head around and Nacelles stood in full view of her. The woman who came to get Scully for breakfast ran up the stairs and fetched down some of the others.

"D...a...n...a."

"Yes, that's right. Are you ok sweetie?"

Scully held her hand out and Nacelles ran over to her and hugged her. As the others came down to them, no one could believe what they were seeing. A girl that hadn't spoken one word in all of her life had just said a name and spoken to someone who was practically a stranger. They all went upstairs and Nacelles wouldn't leave Scully's side. As they got ready to go out Scully got ready to inspect the three dead bodies that had been found in the woods. But even then Nacelles wouldn't leave her alone.

"Would you take her while I look at this."

"Sure."

"I have to go over here will you stay with?"

"Bea."

"You stay with Bea, I won't be long."

Nacelles let her go and watched her every move as Scully looked over the dead people.

"Oh my God. I can't believe it, these people, I was investigating the murders of these people not three days ago, their bodies went missing and I had to find them."

"Well you succeeded, here they are."

"But I don't understand. That means that, the men doing the torturing, the men that killed

these people, and maybe even the men that took me are all the same people. They're doing this to fulfil a criteria."

"What criteria? What are they planning on doing?"

"I don't know. But I think we need to find out if you want to secure your safety out here for any longer."

Just then they heard a scream and someone came running to them.

"It's Nacelles, I let her hand go for one second and I lost her."

"She can't have gone far find her!"

Scully was the first to head off in the search and she found her within ten minutes.

"Oh sweetie are you ok?"

"The man came to see me."

"What man."

"He is gone."

"What man Nacelles?"

"He comes to see me, he taught me to say words. He has a nasty smell too."

Straight away Scully knew whom she meant. Smoking man. He knew all about the people who were living in the forest, and it was them his plans were for with Diana and Krycek. She had to stop him; she had to help them all. She couldn't leave them now, she couldn't.

"I have to get you out of here. All of you! We have to get out of here now!"

"That simply isn't possible I've told you."

"Well if you don't then you're all going to die anyway."

And with that Scully picked up Nacelles and headed back to the huts. The others followed, not knowing how far to trust her how far to go before saying stop. They were afraid, but no one was as afraid as Scully was.


	23. Chapter 23

PART 23

Mulder was in his office when Skinner finally found him; he'd been trying to get hold of Mulder all day. But he couldn't get to him. He had something he needed to run by him.

"Agent Mulder why aren't you taking your calls?"

"I'm sorry sir, you've been trying to reach me?"

"Yes, I have some information that I think you should hear."

"Go on."

"Agent Wilmore, whom Agent Scully was working with undercover, has told me that he saw a man fitting Smoking Man's description hanging around the area they were working in. He said that he looked suspicious but never thought about checking him out because he was already assigned to the case I'd put him on. A woman, fitting Diana's description, then joined him. I think checking out where they were might be a good place to start looking for Agent Scully."

"I think you're right. Thank you sir."

"You're going alone?"

"I think I should. If I find anything I'll contact you. I'll keep my cell phone with me and

switched on at all times."

"Fine. But I want to hear from you by night."

"That's not a problem sir. Where was it you said they were?"

"Georgetown."

"Not a moment to lose."

Meanwhile Scully was having a hard time convincing the people in the forest to escape before it was too late. She had no master plan, but she knew she had to get them as far away from there as possible. She suspected that CSM would kill them all with the blink of an eye. He wouldn't even consider letting them go, and she wasn't prepared to take any risks.

"I wish you'd listen to what we're saying Miss Scully."

"No I wish you'd listen to me! He will kill you all, he won't listen to you crying out to be

let free. He'll kill you all like those people you found. You've said yourselves that they

torture people, they make them subject to the worst kinds of human treatment that could

possibly be imagined, but you won't run from them!"

"It would be hard to get everyone out in secrecy."

Scully looked at the young woman that spoke up for the first time. She looked about 19/20 years of age, but she was on Scully's side. At last she had someone to work with.

"I think we should consider what she is saying. She knows this man; these men better than we do. She knows what they will do, I think we should at least try."

"It's ridiculous! I've never heard anything so absurd! We could not possibly manage such a task!"

"We'd all die!"

"Well if you stay put, you're going to die anyway. The choice is yours how you want us o do this. With a chance of survival, or giving in."

Each and every one of them looked at Scully as she spoke and then they all looked at the leader. He was not impressed, he wasn't used to someone else taking over his role of leadership. He wanted to be in charge. But if he were honest with himself, he wouldn't know where to start. He looked at the people around him that he'd helped live for so long. He decided he owed it to them at least to try surviving; he had nothing else left to lose himself anyway.

"Very well. We will do as you say. Whatever you ask of us we will do within our power. You're in charge Miss Scully."

"Thank you."

She'd got their agreement, their trust and help, but what she didn't have was any ideas. There were no roads or cities for miles around, it would take them days to walk anywhere, and there were the 500 that wouldn't be able to travel about during daytime. She had her work cut out for her, and time was running out. CSM wouldn't hang about for long. He'd get them out of his way as soon as possible; she was surprised he'd not already. But she had to stop him. As she was racking her brains for some solutions, the young girl, Nacelles, that had befriended her was holding the corner of her jacket, she was constantly at Scully's side.

Scully was so unsure of how to react. If she got too close to this child, she'd lose her and

it'd break her heart. But it was so hard not to fall in love with the small beautiful face and

young innocent eyes that called out for someone to love. She had more to deal with than she could handle alone. Still she longed for Mulder, and still he searched for her. As they both went to sleep that night, they could only dream of ever seeing each other again. And they both feared that they never would.


	24. Chapter 24

PART 24

Mulder had come up with nothing in Georgetown; nobody had seen Scully and the local PD didn't have a clue what he was talking about. He didn't know where to look next. He checked in with Skinner who was sympathetic about him not having any luck, but Mulder didn't want his sympathy. He wanted Scully. The next day he went straight to work to check if he had any messages, or if anyone had been in to see him. Nothing. He sat at his desk studying the photograph he'd taken to Georgetown of Scully. He felt so useless, he should've found her by now. He was called in to see Skinner just before lunch.

"Sir."

"Still no news?"

"No sir."

"Well, we mustn't lose hope."

"No I know, I don't intend to. I will find her."

"I have every faith that as a friend and talented Agent you'll find Agent Scully, and I'm sure she'll be fine."

"I wish I had your strong faith sir."

"You're still worried."

"I will be until I find her. Was there anything else sir?"

"Yes, I received a phone call from Georgetown, it was for you but came to my office, it was the local PD they want to see you as soon as possible."

"What! Why the hell didn't you tell me sooner! It could be a lead on Scully!"

"Don't you think I already checked that! It's about the case I had Scully and Agent Wilmore working on."

"Well where is the in-famous Agent Wilmore, I'd like to meet him and ask him a few questions of my own."

"He's out of town on another case. I'll have him see you as soon as he gets back."

"Thank you. I'll be in Georgetown if you need to reach me, oh and sir, if you hear ANYTHING about Scully..."

"I know, I'll let you know straight away."

"Thank you."

Mulder went straight out to his rented bureau car and drove off to Georgetown PD.

He didn't know why he was bothering, he didn't want to go, he didn't want to be following up a case he'd never been on for an agent he'd never met. He was angry with himself for accepting the trip from Skinner. When he arrived he was very rude to them, but they accepted it as typical FBI big-head attitude. They didn't know the real reason for his emptiness.

"And that's all?"

"Yes, the other officers told that other agent...Scully?"

"Yeah, Scully."

"They all told her all they knew. I only wish we could have given her the files there sooner, I found them after she'd left."

"Well it won't make much difference now anyway."

"I'm sorry?"

"Agent Scully is missing. She was last seen four days ago."

"Oh I'm so sorry. That's too bad, four days you say? Well, wait a minute, that can't be right?"

"What?"

"I saw her just two days ago, she was just outside DC heading South in a car with an older man smoking, I assumed he was her father."

"I know who he was."

"You think she's in trouble?"

"I think, that you need to learn when to speak up. I came in yesterday and not one person in this building could help me! Why the hell didn't you tell the bureau about this sooner!"

"Now hang on, Mulder?! I wasn't in yesterday, my wife had a baby last week and I grab every spare minute I can to be with my family sir, you obviously have no family yourself or you'd be a little more considerate!"

Mulder slowed down and took a deep breath. He couldn't believe he'd gotten so angry with him for no real reason, it wasn't his fault.

"I'm sorry sir, you're right I have no family, the only person I care about the only true

family I think I'll ever have is missing, and I have to find her. I'm sorry I took my anger

out on you I truly am. Congratulations on your new?"

"Daughter. Dana."

"Dana. That's a beautiful name sir."

"Yes it is."

"Well I'll leave you in peace, thank you for your help."

"I hope you find her."

"So do I, so do I."

Mulder went and sat in his car and rested his arms on the steering wheel, he buried his head in his arms and felt the tears streaming down his face.


	25. Chapter 25

PART 25

Mulder knew he was driving way too fast, but he didn't care as he sped down the roads searching for Scully. He drove around the surrounding area of DC all day looking for her, he was desperate to see her. He knew he may not find her that first day, but he didn't care, he would find her. This was his first clue; this was the beginning of the end. He longed to see her, to hear her voice, to hear her say his name in that way that told him she thought he was crazy. He pined for the safety and comfort of her standing by his side. He needed her, he couldn't get through his life without her, and when he found her he was going to tell her something that he

realised he should have told her a long time ago.

Meanwhile Scully was left with the job of getting over 500 people into safety. She'd been left alone for the day, nobody disturbed her, nobody asked her any questions or demanded any answers from her. Which at the time was good because she didn't have any. She tried and tried to think about how to save these people's lives, to keep them alive. If they died it would be her fault, she'd never be able to live with the guilt. Occasionally she caught a glimpse of one of the women looking at her from the corner of her eye, but she daren't look at them, what would she do? Smile, look away? She had no answers, and time was running out. One person who wouldn't leave her side was Nacelles; she remained with Scully the whole time.

"Are you tired?"

"No..."

"Yes you are, I saw you yawning."

"I'm not sleepy."

"Come here."

She pulled her onto her lap and Nacelles put her arms around Scully's neck and rested her head on her shoulder as they sat on the arrangements of blankets that were keeping them warm and comfy.

"Why do they look at you like you need to give them something?"

"Well, you're too clever for me at five years old. You should rest get some sleep so you're ready for action tomorrow."

"Why? Where are we going? Are we going away?"

"Maybe, you just get some sleep sweetie."

"Will you sing to me?"

"Oh I can't sing, I really can not sing a note."

Scully thought back to the time she was with Mulder in a forest in Florida. He'd asked her to sing then so he'd know she was awake, and she did. Even after she'd warned him she couldn't carry a tune. She never understood why she sung; perhaps because it was Mulder, she'd do anything for him, even die for him. She missed him. He wasn't there, and she wanted him back.

"I'll tell you a story."

"A nice story? With a fairy and a princess?"

"Of course."

Scully began her story as they lay down to get some rest. But as she began her happy ending story, she didn't get to finish it but fell asleep. One of the other women came in to cover them over to keep them warm, and although Scully had woken up she kept her eyes shut and listened to what she said.

"Like a mother with her daughter. So beautiful, but so sad."

And as Scully was left alone again she looked at Nacelles and tried to hold back the tears that had got so good at pouring down her cheeks. And suddenly, she had an idea. She knew how they could get out, all of them; she couldn't believe she'd not thought of it before. But as doubts aroused in her mind, Nacelles reached for Scully's hand and held it tight, and as Scully held her small hand within her own, she took it as a sign that by some miracle things would work out for the better.


	26. Chapter 26

PART 26

Mulder woke up with a dent in his cheek from sleeping on the steering wheel of the car. He'd been driving till the early hours of the morning and fell asleep at a rest station getting some gas. He got out of the car to stretch his legs and find some coffee. This was the day he was determined to find Scully. As he went into a small cafe he sat down with his drink and his phone began to ring.

"Mulder."

"Agent Mulder?"

"Yes speaking?"

"Agent Mulder I have some very important information for you about your partner."

"What? Who is this?"

"Somebody that wants back your trust."

"Diana? Is that you?"

"I know where she is, she's in a hidden, or not so hidden, hide away in a forest about twenty miles south of where you are."

"You've been following me?"

"No, I know where you are, because we always do Agent Mulder."

"Who is this?!"

"You know who this is, I can't tell you that. Goodbye."

"Wait! Damn it! Diana?!"

It was no use, the phone went dead. He sat for a moment and then ran back out to his car. He sped off South and was full of anger about the confused identity of his caller. If it was Diana, what the hell was she playing at? And why? Maybe he'd find some

answers when he'd travelled 20 miles South and, hopefully, found Scully.

As Scully tried explaining her plan as simply as possible, she could tell by the expressions on everyone's faces that it was going to be a hard job convincing them it could work. She answered all of their questions, but still they looked like they were missing something, something that they didn't understand.

"So, you really thing that this will get us out?"

"Yes, I do. And I think that you would all be able to live perfectly happy, perfectly safe lives afterwards."

"But it could go wrong, that is what you're saying right?"

"It, could. But if we all stick together and work hard, we can get out of here and we can live our lives once we're out."

"Well, I only hope you're right Miss Scully."

"You'll have an awful lot of deaths on your conscience if it goes wrong."

"Actually I won't, because I'll get killed with you if this goes wrong. Remember?"

The had been leader of the group quietened down so as not to make a fool of himself anymore. He tried to be helpful, but he was so used to being in charge he often ended up patronizing Scully or just getting in her way. Scully watched them all look to each other for support and reassurance, they were a team whether she told them to be or not, she still prayed that her plan would work, but things always had a tendency to go wrong for her. No matter how hard she tried to make things right.

"I don't see why we can't start tonight, pack only the things you can carry and that are only essentials. Nothing more, no creature comforts, ok?"

They all shuffled away and Scully took a walk outside for some air. It was around mid-afternoon and the sky was clear, which meant hopefully the moon and stars would help light there way at nightfall as they would be un-able to use any other source of light through out their transporting action. As Scully cleared her head she watched Nacelles playing around in the fallen leaves, she was as normal as any other

carefree child, she deserved so much more than what she had. She should have had everything any other child would have had. But still the thought of having to let her go tore her heart out, she knew she shouldn't have, but she'd come to love the girl like she was part of her own family, how was she going to say goodbye?

As she turned to go back inside and help prepare for their journey when she heard a noise coming from the bushes. She walked over to them and tried to see what it was. She walked further into them calling out to whoever was there. But there was no reply. She turned to go back when she heard it more loudly this time, she began to panic and didn't bother turning back again, this was trouble. She ran back to the huts and prayed that smoking man hadn't found them, and that it wasn't to late for them to escape.


	27. Chapter 27

PART 27

As Scully carried on towards the huts she began to run with fright. But as she got closer to them, she heard her name called, it was an adult voice. Smoking Man?

"Scully!" No. Mulder.

"Mulder? Is that you?!"

"Yes I'm over here!"

She ran back to the bushes and spotted Mulder struggling through the stinging nettles and tall plants that blocked his way. But as he spotted her standing in front of him, the struggle escaped him and he ran to Scully. He took her in his arms and hugged her. Scully felt it was only right for her to hug him back. They held onto each other just letting each other know that they were ok, and that everything would work out.

"I thought I'd never see you again Scully."

"I know, I thought the same."

"You could've looked in a mirror."

She pulled away smiling and cupped her hands a round his face.

"I meant, I thought I'd never see you again."

"Listen Scully, I've been doing some thinking, and there's something I have to tell you."

"Wait Mulder, I think we should go somewhere to talk, there are a few things I'd like to say too."

"Ok, but just let me say this, I've been building up my nerves ever since I entered the forest of what I was going to say to you, and I think I finally got it figured out."

"Go on..."

"Scully I..."

"Dana who's that? Can we finish our story?"

Nacelles had made her way through the bushes and found Scully and Mulder. Scully quickly let go of Mulder, and he removed his arms from around her waist. It was as if they thought that they'd been doing something more than greet each other with a hug and a smile. They stood beside each other and Nacelles ran for Scully and she picked her up.

"Nacelles, this is a very good friend of mine. His name is Mulder."

"Is that like you're Dana? Or is that like everyone says Scully?"

"That's like Scully."

"What's his Dana name?"

"Fox."

"Like the animal?"

"Yeh, like the animal. Mulder, this is Nacelles."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Nacelles."

"Do you like stories Fox?"

"I do, I like stories very much. Especially the ones with happy endings."

He looked at Scully as he finished talking, and she looked at him. He could see a sparkle in her eyes as she held Nacelles, he guessed that they'd gotten close, and Scully could tell that he knew. She put Nacelles down and told her to wait for her inside.

"I'll be along in a minute."

"Is Fox coming?"

"Yeh, I'll be in there too."

"Ok."

Mulder took hold of Scully's hand and she looked up at him.

"You're right Scully, we do need to talk."

"Yeh, we do. I'm so glad that you found me."

"Not as glad as I am that I found you."

And as he replaced his arm around her waist they went inside and began their stories of what had happened. There were a lot of things that had been left unsaid.


	28. Chapter 28

PART 28

Despite things looking up for Mulder and Scully, they still had the matter of certain people that wanted them out of their way. CSM and the ABH were trying to sort things out for getting rid of the people in the forest for good. They weren't telling Diana or Krycek anything. Which left them to come up with their own ideas.

"I don't appreciate you hanging around me like flies around dirt Krycek."

"Oh, is Miss Fowley too good for mixing with her fellow workers? We're partners now you know, we're all a team."

"I am in a partnership with Smoking Man, no one else. We have an agreement."

"Oh what, that he'll get Mulder for you and you can live happily ever after? I mean, think about it, where have you just sent Mulder? Straight into the arms of Scully. You think he'll thank you for leading him to her? He'll just be mad at you for being involved in her disappearance and not helping him out sooner. And Smoking Man? If you're so friendly, why is he in there while you're out here? That's not a partnership, he'll say jump you'll say how high."

"You're wrong."

"About which part?"

"Both!"

"So you do still think you and Mulder are meant for each other?"

"Scully will never know Fox like I do. Not ever."

"She already does. You think that they're just friends? They're with each other 24/7 how can they not realise sooner or later that their affection for each other runs deeper than friendship? You don't stand a chance. When Mulder could have Scully, why would he pick you?"

"You are multi talented aren't you? Going into relationship analysis as well as a cold blooded murderer?"

"You know I'm right Diana. You want Mulder, but you've sent him straight into the loving welcome of Scully's embrace as they meet up after their time apart. You've done him a favour, maybe now he'll get his head out of his ass and tell Scully how he really feels."

"He doesn't feel anything for her but respect."

Krycek laughed and Diana was getting furious with him, and herself for getting so easily wound up by him.

"Maybe it's you that needs to get your head out of your ass Fowley, because you sure as hell aren't seeing the truth with your head down there."

As Diana thought of some comebacks to get him back for what he'd been saying, a door opened and CSM and the ABH came out and stood in front of them.

"We have made some decisions. Decisions that I think you'll be most interested to hear. Maybe you'd like to sit down?"

"Gees, cut the crap will you? You keep us hanging around here and then expect us to obey you like this?"

Diana stood forward to stop Krycek putting his words into actions.

"Krycek! We're listening."

Mulder and Scully had a lot of catching up to do, but as they sat in the quiet on nothing but a thin blanket on a cold floor they were just silenced by the fact that they were together again. But there was so much to be said, so much that they had decided they needed to tell each other. But they didn't know where to start.

"Are you ok Scully?"

"Yeh, I'm fine."

"What happened?"

"When I left your apartment that night I agreed to help you, I was followed by Krycek, then he got in my car and we drove. We just drove for miles, I didn't know where we were going, and I don't know where I am now. But we just kept going. I was scared Mulder."

"Did he hurt you?"

"Mulder...I can take care of myself."

"I know that Scully, but I need to know did he hurt you?"

"Yes. He...he pushed me down a flight of stairs, that was the worst. It was just general

intimidation..."

"Scully? Are you ok?"

"Yeh."

"You're crying. Come here."

He put his arm round her and she leaned into him, her curves fitting perfectly with his. He held her softly but securely, and Scully felt safe at last.

"What are we going to do Mulder?"

"Well, we have to get these people out of here by dawn."

"I meant what are WE going to do."

Mulder sat Scully up and cupped her face in his hands; he studied her face that he'd been desperate to see for days.

"Scully, when I thought I'd never be able to see you again I thought I'd die. I couldn't live without you by my side, my partner, my friend. I told Skinner I'd quit the X-Files unless I had you by my side."

"You'd do that for me?"

"I'd do anything for you Scully, you should know that by now. I don't ever want to lose you again. I need you. And as I finally found you I realised that the speech I'd prepared to say to you would be a waste of time. Because all I needed was three little words."

"What..."

"I love you. I love you Scully. I always will."

"Oh Mulder."

As their faces drew closer their hearts beat like crazy, the adrenalin was pumping around their bodies. And as their lips met their lives became one life. One life full of love and commitment. And it wasn't a "Happy New Year" kiss. It was a real kiss, a kiss full of reassurance and true love. As they parted, Scully rested her head on Mulder's and they held each other close.

"I love you too Mulder, and I think deep down I always have."

As Mulder tried to reply they suddenly heard a scream coming from the next room. They both jumped up and Mulder pulled out his gun.

"Mulder..."

"Stay here Scully."

"Mulder wait."

"Scully stay there! You don't have your gun, it'll be safer."

"Be careful."

"Don't worry."

And with that, he left a love stricken Scully abandoned as he went to play the hero. Big mistake...


	29. Chapter 29

PART 29

As Scully stood waiting for Mulder to come back to her she got worried. It suddenly went very quiet and she could only imagine the worst. She heard him shouting and some people screaming, then she heard gunshots. That was it, weapon or no weapon she had to see what was going on, and if Mulder was ok.

"Mulder!"

"Scully..."

"Mulder oh my god are you ok?!"

"Not...ouch, not really."

He'd been shot and it looked like the wound was close to his lung. Scully opened his shirt and pressed down on him to put pressure on the cut. She moved his shirt out of the way.

"Scully, we're in public...leave the undressing until later..."

"Mulder, trust me if I ever imagined undressing you it wasn't like this and it wasn't here."

As the bleeding slowed down Scully sighed with relief, the shot hadn't gone through his lung. She and one of the men helped him stand up and they took him to the only proper bed in the huts and lay him down. He was very weak and Scully needed to dress his wound. The man left them alone to clean up outside.

"Mulder stay still, I've got to get this cleaned."

"I'm fine."

"You're not fine Mulder. Now be quiet and stay still."

"Ok, ok."

"Mulder, what happened? Who did this?"

"I don't know who it was, I didn't recognise him."

"The bounty hunter?"

"Scully? Am I hearing you right? You are suggesting that the man who shot me was wearing a different face so I didn't recognise him? Changing his form at will? Are you ill?"

"Very funny. Seriously Mulder. We're lucky no one was killed."

"Well I don't understand why they weren't. What was stopping them from killing any one of us if not all of us?"

"I don't know. Something they wanted?"

"Well I didn't see them take anything."

"I just don't understand any of this anymore. I don't understand it's purpose or meaning, I mean what the hell is going on Mulder?"

"I don't know. Ouch!"

"Stay still if you're in pain."

"If? Of course I am, you keep poking me like that, you should be an expert at bandaging me up by now, I mean you've even shot me before."

"It was for your own good Mulder."

"Yeah yeah."

"It was. I'd never do anything to harm you unless I thought it was absolutely necessary."

"So what kind of situations are you saying you'd shot me in?"

"I don't know! Erm...I guess if I thought you were going to do something stupid, or run off to be a hero."

"You'd have shot me for running out there tonight?"

"No. I just...you'll always be my hero Mulder, I don't need you running out on me to shoot people to prove that to me."

"You really mean that?"

"Yes. I do."

"You do?"

"Yes."

"No one's called me a hero before. I could get used to it."

Scully laughed and lay down beside him. He put his arm around her and she got as close to him as possible without causing him a great deal of pain. He held her with a certainty that said they were at last being honest with each other; they were at last admitting they were in love after all these years. After it had been so obvious to others from the start, it was now obvious to the both of them too. No more denying it or refusing to believe it. This was the real thing. As they fell asleep they clear forgot about everyone else, their plans to escape, the planned action for the evening. It was

all cancelled, now they'd have to wait until Mulder was ok to move around easily. As everyone fell asleep that night there was a sense of anger and relief. Anger for not getting out of there like planned, and relief because moving was going to be the scariest thing that they'd ever have to do.

As Mulder woke up the next morning he just lay and watched Scully sleeping peacefully beside him. He'd been waiting to wake up beside her for a long time. As she stirred, she smiled when the first thing she saw as she opened her eyes was his face.

"Where you watching me sleep Mulder?"

"No..... well maybe. You look so beautiful when you're relaxing and not following me chasing little green men."

"Mulder..."

"I know, I know. But I really am the luckiest person in the world."

"No Mulder, I'm the luckiest person in the world, to finally realise how much I loved you before it was too late."

"Scully listen when we..."

"Miss Scully?"

One of the women had entered and Scully sat up quickly, Mulder slowly got up to

sit beside her.

"Miss Scully I have some terrible news."

"What, what is it?"

"It's Nacelles."

"What? Where is she?!"

"That's just it. We don't know. Her bed hasn't been slept in and no one has seen her since our dramatic events last night. She's gone..."


	30. Chapter 30

PART 30

Mulder sat with Scully as she cried quietly on his shoulder. Everyone was out looking for Nacelles, but even after two hours it was no use, they couldn't find her anywhere. As it began to get dark everyone was ready to leave, escape from the closed off lives they'd been living. During the day, another set of huts had been stabilised elsewhere in the forest and once they got there they could rest in hiding again, and then set off before dawn. If it got light, they'd blindfold the light sensitive people and lead them along between them. A few of the men had experience in building site work so they were in charge of putting up the mobile huts. If everything went to plan they'd be in safety within 24 hours.

As everyone waited for Mulder and Scully outside, Scully was having one last look around for Nacelles.

"Scully? You ready."

"Yeh."

"They're all waiting for you."

"I know."

"Come here."

She walked over to him and he hugged her. She rested on him and tried to pull herself together.

"Where is she Mulder? If they took her why? Why a small child?"

"I don't know Scully. But what I do know is that those people out there are counting on you."

"I know, I know."

"You are their only hope. They believe in you, I believe in you."

"She believed in me too Mulder."

"Well then she was a fantastic judge of character. Because if she picked you then she was on the right track. We'll find her Scully, I promise you."

"Oh Mulder. I just, I just..."

"What? What is it?"

"I just can't help wondering that there was another way this was supposed to be resolved. Another way I could have gotten everyone out, including Nacelles."

"You're putting yourself under too much pressure Scully. You've done more than those people ever expected you to do. You had to gain their trust and support in your ideas and suggestions."

"Anybody would think you were here when they didn't believe this would work!"

"Well, they told me they thought you were crazy. But now they trust you with their lives and they wouldn't want it any other way."

"Do I trust myself though?"

"I do. I trust you more than ever."

Scully looked up into Mulder's eyes. She felt like a princess when he made her feel so special. She'd be lost without him, he was the reason she was so strong. After everything she'd been through, if Mulder hadn't been there to help her through she truly thought that she wouldn't have gotten as far as she had in her life. He was the reason she lived, the reason she could breathe. And he felt exactly the same about her.

Mulder kissed her softly on the lips and again embraced her before softly sliding his arm around her and leading her outside.

"Lets go kick some ass Scully."

"Bring it on Mulder."

Meanwhile Smoking man, Krycek, Diana and the Alien Bounty Hunter were back in their own little hide out. Cooking up their evil thoughts and their evil ways. And as they sat talking and conspiring to win this battle they'd gotten into with Mulder and Scully a small cry could be heard from the room that was next door. A child's whimper, an afraid child that was locked away, alone in the dark, no windows, no food, and no drink. Just her alone. Nacelles, crying out for Dana and Fox.


	31. Chapter 31

PART 31

Scully was quiet throughout the journey they all had to make through the forest. She didn't say a word, as all she could think about was Nacelles, and how she felt like it was her fault she'd been taken away. Where could she have gone and why? There were so many answers that she wanted to find, but she didn't stand much chance of finding them. As it got to about 4/5 o'clock in the morning, everyone was getting tired.

They'd rested for two hours and slept a little but most tried to keep their energy and spirits high by staying awake and helping others. Scully didn't sleep and neither did Mulder. They sat away from the others and just enjoyed the peace and quiet. Mulder tried to convince Scully there was nothing she could have done to stop Nacelles being taken away, but she was having none of it.

"Mulder, I was her friend, I was supposed to be watching her, making sure she was ok."

"And you were."

"How can you say that? The evidence is quite clear that I wasn't!"

"What evidence?!"

"Well where is she?!"

"Look Scully, I don't want us to argue."

"Why? Afraid it'll stop you from getting anywhere with me?! There are no beds out here Mulder, or do you not need one?!"

Mulder looked at Scully and shook his head. He stood up and headed away from her, she followed him shouting him back, but he was not impressed.

"I think, I hoped, you know me better than that Scully."

"Mulder wait please."

"Get some sleep."

"I'm sorry!"

"I really don't think we should get into this anymore while you're so tired! I think you need some time alone."

"I don't want to be alone! Don't you see? That's what's happened to me my whole life, I close myself off from people and when I do want them close they just push me aside. Please Mulder, don't leave me."

He walked over to her and took her in his arms, he kissed her with a passion that Scully had never thought existed in him, she'd never pictured him as a man that could put so much passion into a kiss that it made her heart melt straight into his hands. He held her heart and he always would, she was more than happy to give it to him.

"I'm sorry Mulder. I don't know why I said what I did."

"It doesn't matter Scully. You're under a lot of pressure."

"But I shouldn't have been so heartless."

"Scully I love you and if you were heartless that wouldn't be possible, because I hope you love me too."

"Of course I do."

"So, lets get some sleep, even if it's only half an hour, it'll do us both good."

"Well I said that we should meet up at 5am, it's only four fifteen. If we sleep for half an hour what could we possibly do for the other fifteen minutes?"

"Oh I'm sure I could think of something."

"Really?"

"Yeh, and you were right, I don't need a bed, all I need is you."

As Mulder and Scully went back to rest in their quiet corner away from the others, they didn't see someone watching them in the trees behind them, they didn't see Krycek, Diana, CSM and the ABH all standing, waiting for the right moment to make their presence felt by all of the others in the forest. They watched and waited, and they checked they were prepared for what the dawn would bring them, for them the dawn of the new day would be pleasant, for everyone else the new day would be their last day.


	32. Chapter 32

PART 32

"Mulder, did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"That! What is it?"

"I don't know, I'll check it out."

"Mulder, be careful..."

"Scully I never knew you cared."

"I'm serious, you're still hurt from last night, don't try anything stupid."

"I'll be extra careful."

He walked off and Scully stood up and looked around her. The noise had stopped, but she felt a chill down her spine and went back to where everyone else was. Everyone else was sleeping, she stood quietly and then she heard it again. Louder, closer. She felt as if she was being watched. She called out for Mulder, but there was no reply. She began to worry and kept shouting out for him, finally she heard a reply.

"Scully! Over here!"

"Mulder, what happened?" He was lying on the floor and looked shaken.

"I don't know, I just fell, I must have passed out. There was no one here."

"Come here let me give you a hand."

"Thanks."

They both walked off and Scully went to sleep. Mulder watched over her for a while, but as time ran out he went back into the bushes where he'd fallen. There he met with CSM, Krycek, Diana, and the real Mulder. The Mulder Scully had helped turned into the ABH and grinned at Mulder who'd been tied up and gagged so he couldn't shout for help or to warn Scully.

"Have you done as we planned?"

"I injected Scully with the knock out drugs, and everyone else is arousing. We must act before they wake and find things, out of place."

"Of course. Diana, stay with Mulder. Alex, come with me. I will watch the two of you proceed, and clean up."

CSM, ABH and Alex disappeared out of sight and Diana avoided eye contact with Mulder. She tried to talk to him, but he was so angry with her he ignored everything she said.

"Fox, I'm sorry. I had to do this, you know that Smoking Man was threatening me; he was going to kill me. I'm sorry; I didn't want people to die. I didn't want anyone to get hurt. Especially you. I love you Fox, and no matter how much you try to forget that I do, it won't change facts. I'll always love you, and one day we WILL be together. I know we will."

Mulder tried to wriggle free and get rid of his gag, but it was no use, he couldn't get away from her, he couldn't save anyone. After a few more minutes, he could hear screaming and cries for help, he heard people shouting for Fox and Dana, but no reply from either could be heard.

There were gunshots fired, people shouting still for help. But after about ten minutes it was silent. Not one thing could be heard. Not an insect, a bird, nothing. Definitely no other humans. As Mulder focused his eyes on CSM, ABH, and Krycek, he prayed that they hadn't gone near Scully, that they'd left her alone. As they got to him Diana moved in.

"Have you...Have you done as you said?"

"Yes. We have succeeded."

"We have won."

And with that Mulder was knocked out and injected as Scully had been. He was then lay down and left in the forest as they made their way back out into the open. Back to their safe hide out, to celebrate their new found victory. As others suffered.

When Mulder came to, his first conscience thought was Scully. He got up and began to try and find his bearings to find her. He couldn't remember where he'd fallen, or where he'd left her.

He went back to the area the huts had been put up in, and he couldn't believe his eyes. Everywhere he looked dead bodies surrounded him, everyone was dead, all of the people from the underground area had been killed, either shot or cut so that they bled to death. The worst thought was that none of them would have died straight away, they would all have been in tremendous amounts of pain for a very long time.

He went inside and had to come straight out again because of the terrible sights he faced in there. He sat down and buried his head in his hands. He didn't know what to do, he still hadn't found Scully, but maybe that was a good thing. If he hadn't found her amongst the dead, maybe she was alive, he hoped she was anyway.

He stood up again and heard a noise coming from the bush. He went over and had never felt so much relief as he found Scully lying on the floor. Alive, but drowsy.

"Scully, Scully can you hear me?"

"Mulder? What happened?"

"Lets get out of here."

"What are you talking about? What time is it?"

"Lets go Scully!"

"Mulder! What the hell is going on? What happened?! We have to get everyone out."

"No Scully, come on. There's nothing else you can do."

"What are you talking about?"

She stood up and pushed past Mulder she went out into the opening and gasped with horror as she saw everyone.

"Oh my god Mulder. Mulder?"

"Yeh, I'm here."

"Everyone?"

"Yeh."

She turned around to him and he walked over to her. He held her in his arms as she cried, and although she didn't see it he was crying too. They sat down and comforted each other. Neither of them knew what to do. Where did they go now? What did they do to get some justice? This was the final straw. They'd get them for this; they'd finally make them pay.


	33. Chapter 33

PART 33

Three days later Mulder and Scully were back at work. They took a couple of days to themselves before having to go back to being just friends at work. Scully was still badly shaken after what they'd seen in the forest. Mulder tried to keep both of their minds off it, but it was too horrible to forget quickly enough. As Mulder arrived at work Scully was already sat at his desk on the phone.

"Yes...ok, yes...right away...as soon as he gets here...fine." She placed down the receiver and looked at Mulder.

"Skinner?"

"Yeh, he wants to see us as soon as you arrive at work."

"Well, I don't actually feel like I'm here yet."

"You and me both."

"Are you ok Scully?"

"Yeh I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm just sick and tired of theses games. That's all it is to them. A game that they can forget about within two seconds, but what about me? What about you? Us. We have to live with what they did, why is our conscience's that suffer? We have to get them for this Mulder. They can't get away with it."

"You still want to find her don't you?"

"Mulder, Nacelles wasn't among the dead, she was no where to be found which means she could be alive somewhere. We didn't find her, the police didn't find her."

"The police will hide anything they found Scully. They'll have been ordered to keep quiet by the government, the FBI, anyone with higher power than them."

"I have to try Mulder."

He walked over to her and took her hands into his own, she stood up in front of him and he held her close.

"Mulder if anyone sees us..."

"I don't care Scully. If you want to look for her, we will, I'll be there by your side the whole time, I always will be. We'll find her together."

"Thank you. I love you Mulder."

"Well it wouldn't kill you to say it once in a while."

Scully laughed and kissed Mulder friendly on the lips, they hugged tightly and then made their way to Skinner's office. They were going to have to tell him everything. All the details from A to Z. Where did they start, where did they finish?

As they went into Skinner, he was on the phone; they sat and waited for him to finish, for him to start the interrogation.

"Agent Mulder Agent Scully. I believe their are some things that we need to discuss."

"Sir?"

"Like where you've been and what you've been doing. And how we can prevent it from happening again."

"I can assure you Sir, we haven't had a choice in the events of the past few days, we've had no picnic either."

"I'm sure you haven't. Now I know that you were both involved in something that was illegal to say the least with Diana Fowley and Smoking Man."

"And Alex Krycek, the Alien Bounty Hunter."

"What?"

"You've got a lot to hear Sir."

"Agent Scully, you're very quiet, are you planning on adding anything to this discussion?"

"I'm more than sure that Agent Mulder will be able to explain things perfectly for the both of us Sir."

"Well I'd like you to speak for yourself."

"You can like all you want but I have nothing to say. I have no doubt in my mind that Agent Mulder will cover everything clearly, I will have nothing to say that will contradict his version of events. Now shall we get on so we can leave you to write a report on this is peace to use against us for future reference?"

Skinner sat down and didn't know where to look. He wasn't used to Scully being so forceful, not to him anyway, she usually stayed quiet and the responsible one. Mulder looked at Scully. He was worried about her, she was acting strange since what had happened, which he supposed was to be expected after what they'd been through.

He wanted to help her but he didn't know how. He loved her more than anything, and she loved him too, he didn't want to jeopardise that in any way. Skinner looked at Scully and she looked at him, she didn't move an inch. He looked away from her to Mulder as Mulder looked at him.

"Fine. Agent Mulder, if you'd like to tell me what the hell's been going on and we can clear this up for good."

"When I've finished sir things will be less than cleared up, they will be messier than ever."


	34. Chapter 34

PART 34

Mulder told Skinner everything. He told him about the situation he and Scully were in and what had happened while they'd been separated. He told him about CSM and the people he had doing his dirty work for him. But he didn't tell him about Nacelles. Scully was not impressed, she wanted all the help she could get in finding her, Mulder keeping quiet was not helping. She would have told Skinner herself, but after her little performance about Mulder being able to tell Skinner everything alone she didn't want to make a fool of herself. She was fuming.

"I'm sorry Sir may I get some fresh air?"

"Agent Scully are you alright?"

"Yes Sir, I just feel a little dizzy."

"I'll meet you downstairs Scully." She didn't answer him she just looked at him as she walked out. She went straight down to their office and stood with her arms folded waiting for Mulder to come down after her. She couldn't believe he'd not told Skinner, she thought that she and Mulder had come to an understanding.

They had loved each other for seven years and were now taking a step to develop that love further, they were in love with each other. What was going wrong? It was their first day back at work and things were going pair shaped within the first two hours. After a few minutes Mulder sheepishly popped his head around the door.

"Is it safe to come in?"

"Mulder..."

"I know what you're going to say Scully."

"Really? Well then save me the breath of asking, you tell me why!"

"Calm down Scully!"

"I'll calm down when I have reason to be calm! What the hell are you playing at?!"

"Would you just listen for a minute!"

"What could you possibly say to make the hole you've dug for yourself any less deeper?!"

"You asked me a question, kind of, now let me answer!" She looked at him and took a deep breath; he too tried to calm himself down to lower his tone of voice. Shouting at each other was not what either of them wanted.

"Fine. Why didn't you tell Skinner about Nacelles?"

"Because you want to keep her if we find her don't you?"

"What?"

"You want to keep her as your own child, your own daughter to take care of, you think that finally the bds that made you in-capable of having your own baby have given you something worth while to look at. She loved you, you could tell by the way she acted around you, the way she responded to you, and everyone saw it. You want her for yourself, and I want her for you too. For us Scully."

"Mulder I just..."

"I know Scully. Come here." She walked over to him and he held her as she cried. Again the child that was but may not be any longer was causing her more heartache and pain. Nacelles had affected both Mulder and Scully's look at their lives. She'd be the icing on the cake for them. But things were never that simple. They didn't know where to look or what to do if they did find her. Scully looked up at Mulder and kissed him, they took every spare minute they could to get close to each other, they had seven years to make up for.

"But I don't understand how not telling Skinner changes things, and I don't know how you saw straight through me and came up with that assumption."

"The less Skinner knows the better, I couldn't picture him helping us find her if she was going to make our romantic involvement public knowledge. I mean we are his two best agents."

"Oh Mulder."

"And I know you Scully, I know what you want from your life, and children is one thing that you want but can't have because of being stuck with me on the X-Files. I owe you at least that after everything I've put you through."

"Mulder you haven't put me through anything."

"I have Scully. I could've made your life so much easier, but here we are."

"And I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Really?"

"Yes." They kissed again and got so involved in each other that they didn't notice they were being watched. Not until the door was slammed shut and they both jumped as they realised they weren't alone.


	35. Chapter 35

PART 35

"I would have thought after seven years at the FBI you both would no that you're not supposed to have romantic involvements with one another."

"Diana Fowley, why am I not surprised that I have to look at your hideous face again so soon?"

"Agent Scully, I know you hate me, but I'm here to stop all that. I have a proposition for you and Fox. Something which I think you'll both be most interested to hear."

"Scully and I are not interested in anything that you have to say Diana. I think I made my feelings very clear about you the last time we spoke."

"Yes you did, but I told you it wasn't the end."

"I think you're wrong there, this is the end. No more games no more innocent people dying, this is it Diana."

"Fox I will tell you what I have to say, and you will both listen, you couldn't get out if you wanted to, I won't let you go until I've finished."

"Fine, but could you make it quick I have an appointment with a serial killer that I really don't want to miss."

Diana looked at Scully and scowled. She couldn't stand her sarcasm, and she couldn't stand how protective Mulder stood by her side, they were too close for her liking, way too close.

"I know where she is."

"Who?"

"The little girl."

"What little girl?"

"Mulder?..."

"Wait Scully...What are you talking about Diana?"

"Fox, I know as well as you do that we all know what little girl I'm talking about."

"I have no idea what you're talking about Diana."

"Well I find that very hard to believe." Scully stood forward of Mulder.

"Well you know if you try hard enough you can believe anything."

"Do you try hard enough to believe in UFO's and alien abductions Agent Scully?" Mulder now moved forward and placed a protective hand on Scully's shoulder.

"You don't have to answer that Scully, we're all entitled to our own opinion."

"No Mulder, it's ok. I do try very hard to believe the things Mulder shows me and the things he believes to be true. But I believe what the facts tell me, and I am a medical doctor whose life has revolved around science. Mulder's theories very rarely involve science, but that doesn't mean that they're un-true. If I had proof I would have no problems, but I do have a hard time taking in some things that are a little out there. But I would believe anything that Mulder told me."

"Really. Well if I told you that Fox and I slept together when we met at his apartment, and he denied it would you believe him? Or would you believe me?" Scully took a deep breath and tried to keep her cool. When it came to Mulder's involvement with Diana she became very touchy and nervous. She still feared she may lose him to her.

"Scully, don't listen to her she's talking crap!"

"It's ok Mulder, I know."

"Look, I came here to tell you that the girl's alive for now, but smoking man doesn't intend on keeping her alive much longer. My proposition is that I will deliver the girl to you if, Fox comes back with me and works with smoking man and me. The girl lives if you do as I say."

"So if..."

"Mulder no!"

"Hang on Scully. If I go with you, the girl will be brought back here?"

"Yes. Although for your sudden concern, I thought you didn't know what little girl I was talking about?"

"We don't. But if you have an innocent child locked away for just simply existing in life, I'd like to think any person with a heart would try to save her."

"Well, make your mind up. My offer stands until mid-night, I can only get her out between then and dawn. Call me when you've made a decision." And with that she left, she just turned and walked away, leaving Scully seriously pd off, and Mulder reaching for his jacket.

"Mulder where are you going, we need to talk."

"We can in the car, we can follow her and I guarantee she'll lead us to Nacelles."

"You think so?"

"Yeah, well what have we got to lose? Besides, if she doesn't lead us to her, we have her offer to consider."

"No we don't Mulder, I will not let you do that. No way."

"We may not have a choice."

"There is always a choice, you are not going, I'm not letting you do anything that will put your life in danger." Mulder walked over to Scully and gave her a hug. He cupped his hands around her face and she held him close.

"I wouldn't do anything that may endanger us being together."

"So you're not making the deal?"

"No. We'll find her without Diana's help. Come on." They left and caught sight of Diana's car after searching the streets for about ten minutes; she was filling the car with gas. Once she'd finished the journey continued and both Mulder and Scully followed her all the way to the abandoned building that Scully recognised straight away to be where Krycek had held her herself. They both just prayed that they weren't to late.


	36. Chapter 36

PART 36

For about ten minutes Mulder and Scully just sat in the car in silence. Neither one of them moved an inch or even breathed loudly, it was so quiet. They didn't know what to do. They had no plan no backup, if they made any mistakes here they'd end up getting hurt if not worse. They tried to see what was inside but the windows were all boarded up.

"Well, do we go in or what?"

"Well we won't find much sitting out here in the car Scully. Come on."

"Where a bouts do you think they are?"

"I don't know, I guess they could be anywhere, it's a large building, we need to cover it all and fast. If we get caught, well I don't think I need to tell you what would happen if we got caught."

"No Mulder, I think I have a pretty good idea already."

Mulder used his lock pick to open the entrance and slowly pushed the door open. Both he and Scully had their weapon at hand along with their flashlights.

"After you Mulder."

"Still polite and well mannered even in life threatening situations. That's one of the reasons I fell for you you know on."

As Mulder and Scully began to look around, CSM and his crew were all very aware that they had company. At first they were angry and annoyed that their building had been found. But as it sank in that there was nothing they could do to get rid of them, it became seen as a good thing, and something that CSM could use to his advantage. One person he wasn't impressed with was Diana. It was her that Mulder and Scully had followed; it was her fault that they knew where he was.

"Is there anything I can do?"

"I think you've done enough."

"I didn't know that they were behind me. I had no idea, I thought that they were where I left them." Krycek stepped forward.

"What kissing in their office?"

Diana scowled at him and felt a rage building inside her. Krycek knew how much she wanted Mulder and how much it killed her to think of him with Scully.

"Alex enough! Diana has done her fair share of meddling with Mulder and Scully, to no great reward. I have a job for you."

"What?"

"I want you to fetch the little girl." Diana panicked and spoke up again.

"The girl why?"

"I think we should play a little game with our hero's."

"But they don't know who she is, they're not interested."

"When will you realise your loyalties Diana?! You know as well as I do that they know who that little girl is, but still you try to defend them, to help them. I can very easily put you in their situation too. It's not a difficult thing for me to do."

"What to kill people just for the fun of it?!" CSM slapped Diana and she fell down into a chair.

"I've heard enough of your ridiculous moaning, you stay there and you stay out of our way!"

CSM and Krycek left the room and Diana stayed seated and watched them as they went. She didn't know what she was doing anymore. She was playing the dangerous game that Mulder had told her he didn't want to play anymore, but how did she stop it. She suddenly remembered her proposition. If she could get herself and Nacelles out of the building, she could still get Mulder from Scully and come off better than her. Anything was worth a try; she was running out of ideas.

She got up and went straight down to the basement area they were keeping Nacelles locked up in. She opened the door and picked her up, Nacelles was crying and didn't want to open her eyes for fear of what she might see. But when she heard that friendly familiar voice as Diana loaded her into her car outside, she opened her eyes wide and called out.

"Fox!!!"

"Hold it right there Fowley. You planning on going somewhere?"


	37. Chapter 37

PART 37

"Just stop right there Diana, you're not going anywhere. Let her go."

"Who? Nacelles? The girl that you were so sure you didn't know? The girl that just called out for you?"

"Just let her go Diana. I said let her go!"

Mulder edged closer to Diana, just one quick minute and he could get Nacelles out of the car and safely back with Scully. But Diana watched his every move; she knew what he was trying to do. As he got about two feet away from her he heard Scully calling him, she came up behind Diana who turned to see her and saw her moment. She grabbed Scully and held her gun to her head. Mulder watched in agony, he couldn't harm Scully. He was stuck.

"Not so quick to be making the demands now are you."

"Let them go Diana! Or I swear to god I'll kill you myself."

"You expect me to give away so much, but what do I get? Why should I do as you say?"

Mulder looked at Scully and she looked back at him as if to say don't do anything stupid.

"Take me instead."

"Mulder no!"

"Wait Scully. Diana, does your offer still stand?"

"I could take it up again I suppose."

"Mulder no, I will not let you do this!"

"Scully I lost you your chance for children once before I'm not going to do it again."

"Mulder all I want is you."

"And you'll always have me Scully. Always." Mulder looked at Diana and she nodded to him. He got Nacelles out of the car and took her away from Diana. He crouched down to her height.

"Will you take care of Scu...Dana for me?"

"Are you going away?"

"Yeh, I'm going away."

"Are you coming back?"

"I hope so...Yeh, I'll be back. You promise to take care of Dana for me?"

"I will." He went back top the car and looked at Scully and the tears that fell silently down her cheek. He got into the car and Diana threw Scully to the ground. She got in the car with Mulder and they speed off. Scully watched as the car got further away and became a dot in the horizon. Nacelles came over to Scully and took her hand.

"Fox has gone."

"Yeh."

"He'll be back."

"I hope so sweetie, I really do." Once Scully made sure that Nacelles was ok, she drove them back to her apartment and called Skinner. She couldn't handle this alone anymore, she needed his help.

Diana drove for miles; Mulder had no idea where she was taking them. He didn't speak to her or even look at her, which really pd her off. He ignored her constantly, he was fed up of her and her attitude, he still couldn't believe she was the same woman he'd been in love with before. As she got more wound up she decided to tell him a little story about what she'd been up to that morning.

"I think there's something I should tell you about what's just happened."

"What?"

"I bet you feel like such a hero now, the man of the moment, the man that sacrificed his own happiness for someone else's."

"Diana, I'm here, you have me here for whatever the hell your purpose is, I don't want to hear anymore of your crap."

"Well this isn't so crap. You see I made a phone call to an AD Skinner this morning, telling him about the little girl, Nacelles, that you had and were going to bring to him to find a home for. He said he'd get straight onto it and may even find her biological parents. It's amazing how many people have reported missing children and never found them, maybe she's one of them."

Mulder looked at her and then looked dead ahead out of the window. How could he have been so stupid, he should have known that she was up to something to give in to him so easily when she let her go. He was furious with himself for falling into her trap. He had to get to Scully, he had to help her. But he was stuck in the middle of nowhere with the wicked witch of the west. As Diana was feeling very happy with herself, Mulder grabbed hold of the steering wheel and turned it so the car began to spin. The more it spun the more he turned, all the way until the car fell down a bank and landed harshly on it's side.

As Scully came out of the bedroom where she'd left Nacelles lying down for a while, there was a knock at her door. It was Skinner.

"Sir, thank you for coming."

"That's quite alright Agent Scully, actually I was glad to get your call, I was quite worried about you."

"Well I'm fine, it's Mulder that needs our help, Diana Fowley has taken him god knows where for who knows what and it's all linked with whatever was going off at the beginning of this whole mess, we have to find him."

"Ok, I can see your worried, I'll have every one I've got looking for him."

"Thank you." As Scully carried on speaking Nacelles ran out and hid behind her. She held Scully's hand.

"Is that her?"

"I'm sorry sir who?"

"The young girl...Nacelles?"

"Yes, how did you...?"

"I received a phone call saying that you were bringing her to my attention to find a suitable home for her."

"I see. May I ask who made the call?"

"I wish I could tell you, but they left no name. So is this her?" Scully tried to stand strong and professional, but the truth of losing her had finally hit home.

"Yes. Yes it is."

"Well I have her parents waiting at the bureau."

"Her parents?"

"Yes, they reported her missing several years ago."

"I see."

"You should be proud Agent Scully, you both did a good job in finding her."

"Well it's amazing what you find when your not looking for it." Skinner smiled sympathetically and walked away to make a phone call. Scully sat on the couch with Nacelles and held her tightly. She didn't want this to be, she didn't want this to happen, but now yet again she had nothing left to lose. She had only Mulder to gain, she was more determined than ever to find him, and she prayed that she would.


	38. Chapter 38

PART 38

Scully sat on her couch and stared out of the window. There were about seven agents set up at her apartment to look for Mulder, they thought that if anyone was going to get in contact about him they'd contact Scully, or his own apartment where more agents were set up. Scully had her heart and soul set on finding Mulder, but she was miles away thinking about anything and everything. It took Skinner several minutes to get her attention, as he was about to leave.

"I'm sorry Sir, what?"

"I'm taking Nacelles back to the bureau, are you going to come with us?"

"Would you mind if I passed on it? I think I should stay here. And I'm not sure I could watch her go to be honest."

"I see."

"I'm sorry Sir."

"It's fine Agent Scully. I'll be back to see how things are progressing as soon as I can."

Nacelles came running out of thee bathroom and straight onto Scully's lap. She was crying but smiling too. Scully was crying but unfortunately couldn't find it in herself to smile.

"Why are you sad Dana?"

"I'm fine sweetie. Really."

"Will you come and see me? I will visit you."

"Of course I will. I'll always be here for you."

"Agent Scully, we should be going. Her parents are waiting."

"Yes, sorry."

"Bye bye Dana. Say bye to Fox for me when he comes back."

"Ok. Bye sweetie." They left and Scully watched them pull off outside, she was fed up of everything just getting up and going. But she knew that Nacelles was going back to the life she was owed by right, a home with her parents. She was fed up of sitting around doing nothing.

If it were her missing, Mulder would have been out looking for her for hours already. She decided to go out and visit every place they'd been to whilst working on this "case", but she had no luck in finding him anywhere. She searched all day and ended up at Mulder's apartment in the early hours of the morning. It was there that she fell asleep crying on his couch with one of his t-shirts held closely by to her heart.

When Mulder woke up after the crash he saw CSM, ABH, Krycek and even Diana was there sat in a chair in the corner. She looked shaken up but he didn't care. They all just stared at him as if they were waiting for him to do or say something. But he just stared back. He yet again didn't know where he was, and he just wanted to go home, he felt sore all over. The silence wrapped them up like a neatly wrapped gift.

"Agent Mulder, so glad to see you awake and back with the living."

"I would have thought you'd like me dead by now."

"On the contrary, I'm fed up of you not being scared of me killing you, so I'd rather you see me win in this world, and conquering the next. I think you're more afraid of me winning than you are of dying. You will finally get to see what I'm capable of."

"I already know what you're capable of, you murdering son of a bh."

"You only see the half truths Agent Mulder. Yet here we are again. So close to the truth you persist with so much need. Well, I'm here to lay the cards out on the table now Mulder, I'm ready to tell you what you want to hear. The truth." Mulder looked at him and couldn't figure out what his motive was. Why was the CSM being so open and upfront? He tried to stay cool and calm, but he hated him and could've killed him right there right then.

"Fine. Lay your cards on me."

"When Diana first got in contact with you, that was for me, then Krycek was up to his own tricks and ended up working with us, and as for the bounty hunter, well we couldn't have done this without him. We were a team, even your precious Diana was against you from the start."

"Oh she's not so precious. Actually you can have her, I have Scully." Diana squirmed in her chair and looked away from them all, she hated this type of confrontation.

"So, we had our team, and we had our people. We were giving the people in the forest to the alien colonists, to make them think we were back on track, that we still wanted to work with them, but we were secretly negotiating with the rebels to come together as one force and stop them, to end the hell and begin the heaven. But then who should come along but agents Mulder and Scully. You always get in my way, but this time it worked in my favour. It was your fault all those people died. And now we have 600 people chosen at random from the general public to be taken instead. They will be taken tomorrow without even being conscious of it."

"You'll never pull it off!"

"Oh we will, we will win this one Agent Mulder. You enjoy your rest now, because tomorrow you won't be able to live with the knowledge that you couldn't stop me, and that it was all your fault that you didn't get your own way."

And with that they all left. Left Mulder to dwell on his thoughts. He was tied down, but didn't have the energy or will power to get up and run anyway. CSM was right; he was stuck and had nowhere to go for help. He couldn't let him win, but he couldn't do anything but lose whilst he was alone. He needed Scully, he prayed she'd walk through the door any minute to stop the charade from happening. But no Scully, no plan, no losing CSM, he was going to win, and there was nothing either he or Scully could do about it alone. They had to work as a team.


	39. Chapter 39

PART 39

Mulder eventually fell asleep that night. He was exhausted, and the pain he was in was getting to him, he'd been able to push it to the back of his mind for the majority of the time, but it was getting worse. He needed proper medical attention. As he lay asleep riddled with pain, Scully was lying asleep with another pain. Still on Mulder's couch, she tossed and turned unable to rest easily with all the thoughts running through her mind. She was dreaming about Mulder and what they'd been through together over seven years, the good times and the bad.

And as if like a bolt of lightening had struck the building, she sat up in a cold sweat after becoming so restless it was impossible for her to stay asleep. But as she woke, she imagined Mulder in front of her, telling her where he was. She stood up and got herself a drink of water. As she went back to sit on the couch she saw him again, sitting beside her, again telling her something. She was afraid, but she suddenly realised what he was telling her. And before she knew what she was doing, she grabbed her car keys and was out in the car driving to find him, to bring him home.

Mulder woke up and tried to sit up on the table that he'd been laid on. He couldn't hold himself up for long and just fell onto his back where it was almost impossible for him to keep his eyes open. It was getting harder and harder for him to stay conscious of where he was and what was going off around him. He could hear things, people, moving around. But when it went quiet he presumed that everyone else was now sleeping. He couldn't cope any longer and gave in to his bodies needs. He fell asleep, and only when he thought he heard the voice of an angel calling him from heaven did he open his eyes again.

"Mulder, Mulder can you hear me? Mulder please, wake up."

"Sc... Scully...You found me..."

"Of course I did. I wasn't just going to wait around and wait for news that I was never going to see you again."

"We, we have to stop him, them. We have to Scully."

"Mulder, I don't care, we have to get you out of here. Look at you, what happened?"

"I had a small car accident."

"A small accident? You look like you took the worst of it!"

"I did, Diana escaped fairly unharmed."

"Diana? Is she, er, is she ok?"

"That depends what you mean. She's ok physically, but mentally she's not, she's not exactly your biggest fan."

"Well I'll try not to lose any sleep over that."

"Because you have what she wants."

"What?"

"You have me, and as long as I live you'll have me. She doesn't like that."

"Oh Mulder. You pick the most awkward times to go all romantic on me. Lets get out of here."

"We still have to stop them Scully, we can't let him win."

"Can you stand up?"

"I'll try." He stood up and held onto Scully for support. He looked up and saw it just in time; he fell back down and shouted out to Scully.

"Watch out Scully!" Scully turned around and spotted her just in time, she took out her gun and shot Diana who had crept up behind her with her own gun at the ready to shoot Scully. Diana fell to the ground with one shot. Scully ran over to feel for a pulse. There was nothing there.

"Scully?"

"I can't, I can't find a pulse Mulder."

"It doesn't matter, lets go."

"But Mulder I...I can't, we can't leave her."

"I said lets go Scully!"

"I'll call for an EMT."

"No! Look, you don't understand we don't have time for that. Come on."

He got up slowly and again held onto Scully for support until he got his balance and a little energy back. They went into some kind of office and completely wiped all of CSM's data from his files on the computer, and he took all of the discs and hardware he'd been using. It was game over. And neither Mulder nor Scully said a word as she drove them back to DC. The journey was made in silence, with Diana lay down in the back of the car. Alive, but in much danger of dying. Again.


	40. Chapter 40

PART 40

Mulder was allowed to go home after a week in hospital. Scully was supposed to be meeting him, but she said she would be late. He looked around for her all over the hospital and found her with Diana in the intensive care unit.

"Scully?"

"Mulder, hi. How are you feeling."

"All things considered. I'm ok, are you?"

"I'm fine Mulder."

"Come on, lets go."

"Wait, Mulder I'm sorry."

"What for?"

"For this, I may have killed her." Mulder glanced at Diana lying weak and barely alive on her bed. Then he looked at Scully. It was no competition to know who he'd rather have alive in his arms. He hugged Scully and kissed her passionately as he guided them out of her room.

They went to Mulder's apartment and sat down on the couch just holding each other. Mulder stroked a piece of hair behind Scully's ear and kissed her on her head.

"I love you Mrs Spooky."

"I love you too, poopyhead." Mulder laughed and Scully managed to shake off the feeling of guilt that she'd been carrying around all week. She knew she hated Diana, but she couldn't live with having killed her. She wasn't a murderer. She couldn't be.

"By the way Scully, I had a phone call from Skinner, smoking man and his gang are all gone, not a trace of them anywhere. And the huts were set on fire."

"Did you destroy the hardware you took?"

"Not yet."

"Don't you think you should?"

"Now?"

"Yes now, how can you be sitting here knowing you have that power in your hands ready to fall into the wrong hands."

"Gees, you sure know how to kill the moment of romance don't you Scully." He got up and found the things that he'd taken from CSM and turned back round to Scully.

"What should I do with them?"

"I don't know, burn them, break them. Anything." He broke the discs and burnt the papers. Finally he could sit back down with Scully. She snuggled into his body and fell asleep with his warmth all around her. Mulder fell asleep too, and they both woke up as the phone rang.

"Yeh...speaking...oh I see...thanks for calling Sir...I'll tell her myself, she's right here...she's fine, we both are...ok...yeh." He turned to Scully and she stood up beside him. The look on his face said that it was bad news.

"It's Diana isn't it."

"She died about an hour ago. There was nothing they could do for her."

"Well, I better be going."

"Scully no, wait. Are you ok?"

"I'm fine Mulder."

"It wasn't your fault ok, you didn't have any other choice. You did the right thing." She smiled weakly and left.

When she got home she sat and cried and couldn't believe she was being so emotional. But when she really thought about it, it had been a very emotional ride for her lately. She got up to get a drink and noticed she had some mail. It was a painting from Nacelles; it was of her and Mulder with Nacelles standing between them holding their hands. She pinned it to her wall and went for a bath. When she went back into the front room, there was a knock at her door.

"Mulder? What are you doing here?"

"I'm playing the dutiful boyfriend."

"Oh Mulder."

"I have one bunch of cheap flowers, and one even cheaper bottle of wine."

"Well, you better come in and I'll get some cheap glasses." They both sat down and Mulder spotted the painting on her wall.

"Who did that?"

"Nacelles, it came through the post with a letter from her parents thanking me for taking such good care of her."

"Saint Scully."

"Mulder I just killed a woman."

"And I'm glad you did!"

"Mulder?!"

"Scully, she would have killed you without a second thought, she was even ready to kill me if she couldn't have me. I'm glad she's out of our lives for good. We won. Good prevailed over evil again. The plans that they had are gone, and we can get on with our lives."

"Until next time."

"There won't be a next time."

"So you're sure she's dead this time?"

"Positive."

"Good." They both laughed and were glad they weren't alone. They needed to keep each other company it had been a hard time for them.

"Scully?"

"Yeh."

"I'm sorry I lost Nacelles for you."

"Mulder she's happy, very happy, I'm glad that she got her family back. Besides we're too busy saving the world to take care of a small child."

"Of course."

"As long as I have you Mulder, that's all that matters."

"Ditto."

THE END.


End file.
